FAA lifts restrictions: Can airlines get back to normal before Thanksgiving?
The government shutdown is history and on Sunday, the Federal Aviation Administration announced it would lift flight reductions at major hubs including O’Hare and Midway international airports on Monday.
Can airlines regroup before Thanksgiving, the “Super Bowl” of travel seasons?
“It’s not going to happen overnight, but airlines should have enough time to ramp back up in time for the Thanksgiving rush,” AAA’s Molly Hart predicted.
“This is the Super Bowl for airlines and they’re going to want to be at full capacity,” Going.com spokesperson Katy Nastro said.
Air traffic controller staffing shortages related to the 43-day shutdown led the Federal Aviation Administration to impose 4% and 6% flight reductions at 40 major U.S. airports on Nov. 7 and Nov. 11, respectively. Thousands of cancellations and dysfunction erupted the weekend of Nov. 8 and 9.
On Sunday, the FAA announced it would terminate all restrictions as of 6 a.m. Monday.
“Today’s decision to rescind the order reflects the steady decline in staffing concerns across the national air space and allows us to return to normal operations,” Administrator Bryan Bedford said in a statement. “I am grateful for the hard work of the FAA safety and operations teams and for their focus on the safety of the traveling public.”
Aviation expert and DePaul University Professor Joseph Schwieterman noted that as painful as the last few weeks have been, “you have to give airlines credit for not having major meltdowns. Many travelers have been greatly inconvenienced, but we haven't had a snowballing effects resulting in lots of people stranded overnight at airports.
“O'Hare has been hot and cold with regard to cancellations and delays. We've had very rough periods but have generally fared better than, say, Atlanta and New York,” Schwieterman said.
Here are other tips from the experts on navigating turkey day travel:
Book now: “Tickets are already 8% higher for domestic travel over Thanksgiving than they were last year,” Nastro said, adding a last-minute buying frenzy could push up demand.
The early bird gets the odds: Early morning flights have “a 25 to 30 percentage-point, on-time arrival rate versus afternoon or evening,” Nastro noted. “When I can, I always try to target that super-early morning flight — I’m talking 6, 7, 8 a.m.”
Pack light: To expedite your airport experience, “just bring a carry-on bag. Don’t put luggage through,” Hart recommended.
Get the app: Loading your airline’s app is a surefire way to learn about flight status changes and rebook quickly if necessary, Nastro said.
Backup plan: Now would be a good time to purchase flight insurance, Hart said, but read the fine print to ensure it covers your needs. Another option is spending a little more for an economy ticket that offers cancellation flexibility instead of the basic economy fare, Nastro advised.
Road trip? If you’re wary of flying, there’s always Amtrak and driving to your Thanksgiving destination. And fortunately, fuel prices aren’t horrendous.
AAA’s Thanksgiving travel forecast, released Monday, expects the cost of a gallon of regular will hover around $3.06 nationwide.
One more thing
With 2026 just around the corner, United Airlines will greet the new year with 10 new cities to visit from Chicago.
United will serve six of those destinations exclusively from O’Hare with daily trips beginning in spring. They comprise: Santa Barbara, California; Eugene, Oregon; Paducah, Kentucky; Lynchburg, Virginia; Monterey, California; and St. George, Utah.
Also, United will begin flying to four other locations in spring: Rochester, Minnesota; Wausau, Wisconsin; Marquette, Michigan; and Idaho Falls, Idaho.
Gridlock alert
Des Plaines drivers can expect some traffic angst starting 9 a.m. Monday with a full road closure on Touhy Avenue and the Canadian National Railway tracks, east of Mannheim Road. The rail crossing repairs should last through Nov. 20. Detour signs will be posted.