Travelers at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport should see things return to normal starting at 6 a.m. Monday, now that the FAA is lifting all flight restrictions put in place during the record 43-day federal government shutdown.

Detroit was among 40 major airports nationwide forced to cut flights by as much as 6 percent reductions triggered by air traffic controllers working without pay and a system stretched thin by staffing shortages. The FAA eventually eased the cuts to 3 percent as conditions improved, but todays move officially removes all limits.

The flight caps had fueled thousands of delays and cancellations across the country. On the worst day November 9 airlines canceled more than 2,900 flights nationwide.

Major hubs like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Atlanta were hit hard, but airlines can now restore full schedules system-wide. And the timing matters: the Thanksgiving travel period typically the busiest stretch of the year is about to begin, with heavy passenger volumes expected.

With the restrictions gone, Detroit travelers should notice smoother operations and more available flights as the holiday rush kicks off.