The Federal Aviation Administration announced Sunday that it will lift all restrictions on commercial flights at 40 major airports that were put in place during the nation’s longest government shutdown.

The announcement was made in a joint statement by Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford.

What's next:

Airlines can resume their regular flight schedules beginning Monday at 6 a.m. EST, the agency said.

The backstory:

Citing safety concerns as staffing shortages grew at air traffic control facilities during the shutdown, the FAA issued an unprecedented order to limit traffic in the skies. It had been in place since Nov. 7, affecting thousands of flights across the country.

Impacted airports included large hubs in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and A

See Full Page