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Amid the unprecedented federal government shutdown approaches day 38, US flight paths is about to get less congested. Contrastingly for US air travel hubs.

Protective Actions Enacted

Donald Trump’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced flights are being reduced to maintain air traffic control safety during the federal government funding lapse, now the longest recorded and with no sign of a solution between GOP lawmakers and liberal officials to end the federal budget standoff.

Flight oversight bodies selected “congested corridors” where the FAA says air traffic requires reduction by 4% by 6am ET on Friday, a step requiring airlines to cancel thousands of flights and cause a chain reaction of scheduling issues and hold-ups at major US air terminals.

Administration Remarks

The administration's transportation head, Sean Duffy, wrote on online platforms Thursday that the move was “unrelated to political motives” but rather “concerned with reviewing the data and alleviating growing safety concerns in the system as controllers continue working without pay”.

“Flying is safe today, tomorrow, and the day after because of the forward-thinking steps we are taking,” Duffy added.

Airline Cutbacks

Analysts forecast numerous potentially thousands of flights may be scrapped. The flight decreases could represent approximately 1,800 flights and upwards of 268,000 seats combined, based on an estimate by the aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Impacted Locations

The targeted air hubs including more than two dozen states include the busiest ones across the US – such as Georgia's capital, CLT, Denver, Texas metroplex, Orlando, California gateway, Miami and SFO. Among key urban centers – like New York, Texas city and Illinois hub – several air terminals will be affected.

The trio of airports serving the Washington DC area – Washington Dulles international, BWI Airport and DCA – will be impacted, certainly generating delays and cancellations for government officials as well as additional passengers.

Other Developments

• This is the list of US airports cutting flights on Friday as a result of federal government closure.
• An ex-DOJ worker who hurled a sandwich at a federal agent during Donald Trump’s law enforcement presence in the capital was acquitted of assault by a DC jury on Thursday marking another legal rebuke of the federal intervention.
• Certain Democratic lawmakers viewed Tuesday’s big electoral wins as proof they should maintain their position and gain maximum concessions from conservative lawmakers before consenting to conclude the record-breaking budget standoff in history.
• Democratic officials lauded Nancy Pelosi as a “courageous, pioneering” member of the US House of Representatives, an “legend” and the “most accomplished leader in American history”, subsequent to her declaration that post twenty congressional sessions in Congress she intends to step down.
• The thinktank head, the director of the political research group behind Project 2025, issued an apology for backing the commentator's interview with Hitler supporter Nick Fuentes, but is rejecting appeals to step down.