SACHA PFEIFFER, HOST:
The government shutdown is over, but its impact on the U.S. aviation system will linger for at least a few more days. Aviation regulators are still requiring airlines to reduce air traffic by 3% at dozens of major airports, and the shutdown has once again exposed deeper problems with the nation's air traffic system. NPR transportation correspondent Joel Rose has been following this and is with us now. Hi, Joel.
JOEL ROSE, BYLINE: Hey, Sacha.
PFEIFFER: Joel, I've been flying a lot recently, and I've had numerous delays, and I'm at the point when I go to the airport, I feel a great deal of apprehension. So how long can we expect this reduction in flights to last?
ROSE: Well, I'm sorry to say that your apprehension may not be quite over yet. Aviation officials said last night that these temporary flight restrictions would be lowered from 6% to 3% of flights at major airports. The Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration say that reflects improvements in staffing levels at air traffic facilities. Air traffic controllers, of course, had been working without pay during the government shutdown. Some took on second jobs, and many called out sick.
The FAA reported staffing shortages at dozens of facilities, especially as the shutdown reached into its second month. But there has been a rapid decline in staffing shortages in the past week, according to the DOT. That gave regulators some confidence that more controllers are coming to work, but regulators are leaving these 3% reductions in place through the weekend, just to be sure.
PFEIFFER: Given everything you just outlined, how long is it likely to take airline operations to get back to normal?
ROSE: Well, airlines seem confident they can ramp up pretty quickly once the FAA lifts these flight restrictions completely. This is an industry that is used to adjusting quickly to storms and other events outside of its control. Chris Sununu is the CEO of the industry trade group Airlines for America. He said it might take about a week for airlines to get back to the pre-shutdown normal, but he's optimistic they can get there before the Thanksgiving holiday rush, which is - you know, begins soon, next week.
PFEIFFER: Joel, about compensation for the air traffic controllers - they weren't being paid. Are they finally getting paid for their work during the shutdown?
ROSE: Yes, the FAA says controllers got the first installment of their back pay yesterday. DOT says that's about 70% of their total pay, but it's only part of what they're owed. They're supposed to get the rest later in the month, including any overtime or shift differential compensation. And that can be pretty significant because a lot of controllers are working mandatory overtime and working six days a week.
PFEIFFER: You know, a relative recently mentioned to me that she feels unsafe flying right now because of what happened. How safe is it to fly while all these changes are happening to the system?
ROSE: Flying is still the safest mode of travel statistically. Some safety experts say they were actually heartened to see that the Department of Transportation showed it's willing to put safety ahead of efficiency by mandating these flight reductions. But the shutdown also underscored a long-standing problem with the air traffic control system, which is a severe staffing shortage of controllers. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says the system is 2,000 controllers short. The controllers union puts that number higher, at well over 3,000.
But I think there's no question, you know, the nearly 11,000 certified controllers who are working are stretched thin. And it's going to take a long time to hire enough controllers to get even close to full staffing. And I don't think this shutdown is going to help with that.
PFEIFFER: The Thanksgiving holiday is coming up, as I think you mentioned. Should people change their plans or seek alternatives to flying for the holiday?
ROSE: Airlines say that things should be back to normal. But keep in mind, this is one of the busiest travel times of the year. It's always a test of the system. Normally, it is weather that is the biggest cause of delays and cancellations. That will likely be the case again this year. I guess my general advice is that people should check with their airlines or their favorite flight tracking site for the latest information. It's not a bad idea to get to the airport early, and although I have trouble with this one myself, be patient.
PFEIFFER: Always good advice when traveling. That's NPR's Joel Rose. Thank you.
ROSE: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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