FAA Lifts Flight Restrictions

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has lifted flight restrictions that were imposed during the government shutdown.

The Details: Thousands of flights were delayed or canceled at 40 airports across the nation due to what the FFA said was in response to "reviews of safety trends and the steady decline of staffing-trigger events in air traffic control facilities." Many air traffic controllers worked without pay during the 43-day government shutdown, and others called in sick. The flight restrictions, which began on November 7, reduced air traffic capacity by a least 4% at some the the busiest airports in the nation. Flight disruptions began to dissipate after President Donald Trump signed a bill to reopen the government last week.

Key Quote: "I want to thank the FAA's dedicated safety team for keeping our skies secure during the longest government shutdown in our nation's history and the country's patience for putting safety first. Thanks to President Trump's leadership, controllers have returned to their posts and normal operations can resume," said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.

For Context: The return to normal operations will help American airports prepare for the busy holiday travel period. The FAA is still about 3,500 air traffic controllers short of targeted staffing levels and many had been working mandatory overtime before the shutdown. It said it hopes to speed up hiring and training through advanced training technology, bonuses, and partnership with colleges to supplement instruction at its Oklahoma City academy.

How the Media Covered It: Several sources on the left noted that air traffic controllers have missed two paychecks during the government shutdown. Several sources on the right noted that Duffy credited Trump for getting air traffic controllers back to work, particularly after offering controllers who worked through the shutdown a $10,000 bonus.

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