WASHINGTON, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Major U.S. airlines are

urging the Federal Aviation Administration to drop mandatory 6%

domestic flight cuts at 40 major airports imposed to address air

traffic safety concerns after the end of a record setting

government shutdown.

Airlines are largely not in compliance with the FAA order

that requires much steeper cuts. Cirium, an aviation analytics

firm, said airlines canceled just 2% of overall flights Friday,

down from 3.5% Thursday. On Friday, air traffic controllers and

other FAA employees began receiving partial back pay, the FAA

and union officials said.