(MENAFN) The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced Sunday that it will lift all commercial flight restrictions that had been in place at 40 major airports during the nation’s longest-ever government shutdown.

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the emergency order mandating nationwide flight reductions will be rescinded at 6 a.m. Monday, allowing normal operations to resume across the National Airspace System (NAS).

The decision comes after FAA safety teams conducted comprehensive reviews, noting a consistent decline in staffing-related incidents at air traffic control facilities. Duffy praised the FAA’s “dedicated safety team” for maintaining safe skies during the prolonged shutdown and said the agency will now focus on hiring more controllers and modernizing air traffic control systems.

Bedford highlighted the “steady decline in staffing concerns” as the key factor in lifting the restrictions and commended the agency’s staff for prioritizing public safety.

The FAA had imposed the traffic-reduction order on Nov. 7 due to worsening staffing shortages during the shutdown, which affected major hubs including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. Flight cancellations peaked on Nov. 9, with more than 2,900 flights grounded due to the FAA order, staffing gaps, and severe weather. Operations improved as controllers returned to duty, leading the FAA to halt plans for further reductions.

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