With FAA restrictions lifted, just the usual Thanksgiving mayhem awaits at RDU
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- FAA lifted flight restrictions ahead of busy Thanksgiving travel week at RDU.
- Air traffic staffing improved after government reopened, but delays are still common.
- Travelers should use airline apps, arrive two hours early and follow TSA rules.
Flight restrictions tied to the federal government shutdown have ended. Now airline passengers need only worry about the usual crush of Thanksgiving travelers and the uncertainty of November weather.
The Federal Aviation Administration told airlines Sunday that they could resume their full schedules. The FAA had ordered carriers to ground hundreds of flights last week to ease the workload on air traffic controllers, who were working without pay during the government shutdown.
The FAA order was focused on 40 airports, including most major hubs. RDU was not one of them, and there were relatively few cancellations in the Triangle. No RDU flights were canceled over the weekend, according to data compiled by FlightAware.
But delays were common, whether due to air traffic control constraints, weather or other problems. More than 90 flights in and out of RDU were delayed Sunday, according to FlightAware.
Air traffic control staffing issues have eased considerably since the government reopened last week and controllers began receiving paychecks. The FAA said it experienced only one instance where low staffing caused it to slow air traffic on Sunday; that’s down from a peak of 81 “staffing triggers” on Nov. 8, the agency said.
In lifting the restrictions, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the government could concentrate on chronic problems facing the air traffic system, including aging equipment and a shortage of controllers that forces many to work overtime even when the government isn’t closed.
“Now we can refocus our efforts on surging controller hiring and building the brand new, state-of-the-art air traffic control system the American people deserve,” Duffy said in a statement.
RDU, other airports will be crowded next week
The week of Thanksgiving is one of the busiest times of the year at RDU and other airports. Airport officials offer this advice to make the trip smoother:
- Download and consult your airline’s app before you leave home. The app will tell you which gate you’ll use and whether the flight is on time or delayed.
- Arrive at the airport at least two hours before a domestic flight to give yourself time to park, check in and get through security. Airlines often begin boarding 30 to 40 minutes before the scheduled departure time.
- Make sure you know what’s allowed through the Transportation Security Administration checkpoint and that you don’t have any prohibited items in your carry-on bags. Unsure what’s allowed? Go to www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/.
- If you’re picking someone up, use RDU’s cell lot at 1000 Trade Drive and ask your party to call or text when they’re headed for the terminal curb. If they’re coming into Terminal 2 and don’t have checked bags, ask them to meet you at the upper departure level, where the traffic usually isn’t so bad.
