Here’s Why It Could Take Days for Flights to Return to Normal
A New York Times article explains why a near-total Friday shutdown of the nation's airspace could take days to unwind: aviation works like a relay race, and with planes crowded onto the ground, crews quickly hit legal limits on flying and shift time — pilots are generally capped at eight or nine flying hours — forcing airlines to cancel flights proactively. By Saturday morning nearly 15 percent of flights had been scrapped and the number was still climbing, and the article forecasts the recovery will most likely last for days as airlines juggle schedules, rebook passengers, and reposition planes.
