ORLANDO, Fla. – The longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history concluded last night after 43 days, finally bringing relief to the countless federal employees who faced over six weeks without pay.

However, for travelers, the repercussions are still being felt. The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) flight reductions remain in effect, leading to ongoing delays and cancellations nationwide, affecting major hubs like Orlando International Airport (MCO).

[WATCH: President Trump signs government funding bill, ending shutdown]

At MCO, the news of the shutdown’s conclusion was greeted with enthusiasm by many passengers.

“It’s a sigh of relief,” remarked traveler Natalie Grace. “We arrived at the airport much earlier than usual, expecting long waits, but the lines were clear. It was a pleasant surprise.”

Federal officials confirmed that Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers and FAA employees will soon begin receiving back pay. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said controllers and other FAA staff should receive about 70% of their back pay within a 24 to 48 hours. In addition, DHS officials announced a $10,000 bonus for TSA employees as a gesture of appreciation for working without pay during the shutdown.

[BELOW: FAA reduces air traffic across “high-volume” markets]

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said there were “tens of thousands of individuals who stepped up and continued to serve” during the last six weeks. When asked whether that was referring to those who did not call out sick or stay home for other reasons, Noem said, “That’s not necessarily the parameters.”

In a statement, the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) said:

“We’re grateful to all the federal employees who continued their vital work at MCO throughout this government shutdown. Now that it has concluded, we’re committed to maintaining seamless operations and supporting our travelers.”

Still, the impact of the FAA’s flight cuts remain.

“We had our flights delayed coming into Orlando a week ago, and then today we were delayed by about four hours,” said traveler Mindy Jurek.

The FAA’s emergency order, which took effect Nov. 7, with the goal of reducing flights up to 10% at 40 major airports — including Orlando International — due to air traffic controller shortages caused by the shutdown. Officials now say the situation is improving, but normal operations will take time to resume.

[BELOW: MCO among 40 airports on FAA flight reduction list]

Since the order went into effect, MCO officials report 394 canceled flights, including 41 on Thursday and another eight expected Friday.

The slowdown in air traffic has also hurt rideshare drivers who depend on transportation for passengers.

“You wake up in the morning, you go out to try to make some money, and you just sit down and lose the time,” said one Uber driver outside the airport.

A taxi driver added, “This is the worst I’ve ever seen it.”

Experts have said it might take several days for airlines to return to normal operations after the order is lifted.

Delta Airlines stated, “We look forward to bringing our operation back to full capacity over the next few days and delivering the premium experience our customers expect as we look ahead to the holiday season.”

For now, many travelers are hopeful that the skies will soon return to normal before the Thanksgiving holiday.