Shutdown Ends but FAA Holds Flight Cuts at 6% as Recovery Lags

President Trump signed a bill reopening the government the night of Nov. 12, 2025, ending the 43-day shutdown. The FAA froze its flight reduction at 6% rather than raising it to 8%, then lifted the order on Nov. 17. Airlines still canceled more than 1,000 flights on Nov. 13 as controller staffing recovered slowly.