US freezes flight cuts at 6% as air traffic control absences shrink

Normal operations could hopefully resume in a few days, Southwest executive says

A US flag flies outside as passengers wait at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, more than a month into the ongoing US government shutdown, in Arlington, Virginia, US, Nov 11, 2025. REUTERS

The Trump administration late on Wednesday froze government-imposed flight cuts at 40 major airports at 6% after air traffic control absences fell sharply, hours ahead of an expected end to the record-long US government shutdown.

The Federal Aviation Administration last week ordered 8% cuts for Thursday and 10% for Friday, affecting only domestic flights. But it opted to ease those cancellations after disruptions due to air traffic control absences declined dramatically in recent days as the chances of a government reopening rose after a Senate compromise.

"The 6% hold will remain in place as the FAA continues to assess whether the system can gradually return to normal operations," the agency said.

US airlines canceled 900 flights on Wednesday - the fewest in six days - under the FAA's 6% requirement, according to FlightAware, a flight tracking website.

Air traffic control absences accounted for just 1% of delays on Tuesday, compared with 5% on average before the shutdown, the FAA said.

The FAA is about 3,500 air traffic controllers short of targeted staffing levels. Many had been working mandatory overtime and six-day weeks even before the shutdown led to them working without pay.

Before the government trimmed the cuts planned for Thursday, several airlines had only canceled around 6% of flights as they expected a reduction of that level rather than the originally planned 8%, Reuters reported earlier.

"If the FAA safety team determines the trend lines are moving in the right direction, we’ll put forward a path to resume normal operation," Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement on Wednesday.

Airlines are still hopeful the cuts will be reduced over the weekend.

"Once the shutdown ends, we’re optimistic that the FAA will allow airlines to resume normal operations within a few days," Southwest Airlines Chief Operating Officer Andrew Watterson told employees in a note.

DELAYS REDUCED SHARPLY

Flight operations are improving dramatically, with just 2,000 delays on Wednesday compared with 4,000 on Tuesday and nearly 10,000 on Monday, according to FlightAware.

Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian told CNBC he thinks the aviation system will be largely back to normal this weekend, but said the recent cancellations will cost airlines and the economy a significant amount.

Air traffic absences have led to tens of thousands of flight cancellations and delays since Oct 1, when the 43-day shutdown began. Last weekend, 1.2 million passengers were delayed or had flights cancelled due to air traffic controller absences.

Some were absent because they needed to work second jobs or could not afford child care.

Duffy said air traffic controllers will get a lump sum payment equal to 70% of their back pay within 48 hours of the shutdown ending.

A US Senate subcommittee will hold a hearing next Wednesday on the impact of the shutdown on aviation safety.