U.S. Govt Reopens, but ATC Delays Still Linger

Thanks to passage of a bill last night to reopen the U.S. government, NBAA expects that flight delays and restrictions at 40 high-impact U.S. airports, as well as the business aviation ban at 12 of them, will be eliminated before Thanksgiving travel. The FAA also today issued an amended order freezing airline traffic reductions to 6% at these airports, but left unchanged limitations on general aviation and nonscheduled commercial operations.

These delays and reductions were implemented in an attempt to cope with air traffic controller staffing issues exacerbated by the government shutdown, during which controllers were working without being paid. Sick callouts climbed in the controller ranks as the government shutdown dragged on, with workers missing two full paychecks before the deal to reopen the government was reached.

“NBAA commends Congress for concluding the government shutdown, and we look forward to the full restoration of general aviation access to all airports,” said association president and CEO Ed Bolen. “We thank the nation’s air traffic controllers for their dedication to the safe operation of the National Airspace System (NAS) under very challenging circumstances. Safety is the cornerstone of business aviation, and we are grateful for our partnership with these professionals in ensuring the safety and efficiency of the NAS.

“Additionally, we urge Congress to protect the FAA from future lapses in federal funding by passing a full-year appropriations bill for the Department of Transportation, including the FAA. We also call on Congress to approve the Funding Stability Act of 2025, to allow the FAA to access the Airport and Airway Trust Fund to continue operating in the event of any future government closure.”