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FAA lifts flight cuts imposed during shutdown
Flight reductions were lifted at Tampa International Airport and airports across the country, which means the delays and cancelations seen during the government shutdown should shrink significantly. FOX 13’s Kellie Cowan reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - .The arrival and departure boards at Tampa International Airport looked normal Monday morning and travelers reported smooth sailing through the terminal.
What we know:
Airlines received official clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration to end the required flight reductions that had been imposed to ease pressure on air traffic control facilities during the shutdown.
With the shutdown ending Friday, the Department of Transportation began phasing out its earlier order to reduce flights.
Even before the cancellation mandate was lifted, national numbers had already started trending below the required cut. According to Flight Aware, only 162 flights were canceled across the country on Sunday, well under the three-percent reduction that had been in place.
Tampa International Airport recorded only a handful of cancellations over the weekend. With weather affecting travel in parts of the country last week, it remains unclear whether the disruptions here were tied to staffing or storms.
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By Sunday night, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said air traffic control staffing levels had returned to what they were before the shutdown began, which meant cancellations were no longer needed to maintain safety in the national airspace.
What they're saying:
Passengers said conditions at TPA looked and felt normal. Traveler Bruce Clark told us he experienced a clean and uneventful trip.
"I really wasn't affected at all. I had a clean, straight-through transaction getting down here. I didn't have any issues and it doesn't seem like I'll have issues going back, I hope," said Clark.
Industry outlook
Aviation analysts expect the system to rebound quickly. They say flight schedules should stabilize well before the busy Thanksgiving travel period.
The Source: Information for this story comes from statements by the Federal Aviation Administration, the Department of Transportation, Flight Aware data, on site reporting at Tampa International Airport, and interviews with travelers.