US carriers will return to normal operations on Monday after federal aviation regulators ended the capacity restrictions introduced during the recent government shutdown, according to reporting by Bloomberg.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Transportation said late Sunday that the measures affecting forty major airports would be withdrawn from 6am Eastern Time. The restrictions were introduced on November 7, beginning with a four per cent cut that was expected to rise to ten per cent before being capped at six per cent as staffing conditions began to stabilise.

Regulators implemented the reductions to ease pressure on air-traffic control teams who had been working without pay during the shutdown. The FAA has been operating below its long-term staffing targets, a structural shortage that was amplified by the prolonged closure of the federal government. Industry documents have highlighted persistent gaps in the number of certified professional controllers across key facilities.

Domestic travel disruption began to ease last week as controller attendance improved and fewer staffing-related triggers were recorded. By Friday, cancellations accounted for roughly three per cent of domestic flights, down from earlier levels. The FAA said its decision to withdraw the cuts followed a review of pilot reports and safety data related to controller responsiveness.