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With the record-breaking federal government shutdown nears day 38, US skies will become less congested. This doesn't apply for US airports.

Protective Actions Enacted

The federal Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has said air travel is being curtailed to ensure air traffic control security during the federal government funding lapse, now the longest recorded and with no apparent progress of a solution between Republicans and Democrats to end the federal budget impasse.

Flight oversight bodies pinpointed “congested corridors” where the FAA says air traffic needs cutting by 4% by 6 a.m. Eastern on Friday, a move that would force airlines to call off thousands of journeys and create a cascade of scheduling problems and setbacks at some of the nation’s largest airports.

Administration Remarks

The federal transportation leader, Sean Duffy, wrote on online platforms Thursday that the action was “unrelated to political motives” but rather “concerned with reviewing the data and mitigating growing safety concerns in the system as air traffic professionals continue working without pay”.

“Air travel remains secure today, tomorrow, and the day after because of the forward-thinking steps we are taking,” Duffy remarked.

Flight Cancellations

Specialists anticipate hundreds if not thousands of flights may be scrapped. These reductions might account for up to 1,800 flights and over 268,000 seats combined, based on an estimate by the aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Targeted Terminals

The affected airports covering more than two dozen states include the most trafficked across the US – featuring ATL, Charlotte, Colorado's hub, Dallas/Fort Worth, MCO, California gateway, Miami and SFO. In some of the biggest cities – like NYC, Houston and Illinois hub – several air terminals will be impacted.

All three airports serving the Washington DC area – Dulles Airport, BWI Airport and Reagan National – will be affected, inevitably causing flight disruptions for government officials as well as the flying public.

Related Updates

• This is the compilation of American air terminals decreasing flights on Friday due to federal government closure.
• A former Department of Justice employee who threw a sandwich at a federal agent during Donald Trump’s law enforcement surge in DC received a not guilty verdict of assault by a DC jury on Thursday marking another legal setback of the federal intervention.
• Certain Democratic lawmakers saw Tuesday’s major voting successes as proof they should hold the line and secure the best deal from Republicans before agreeing to end the longest government shutdown in history.
• Democrats praised Nancy Pelosi as a “bold, groundbreaking” member of the US House of Representatives, an “icon” and the “greatest speaker in American history”, subsequent to her announcement that following two decades in Congress she plans to retire.
• The thinktank head, the leader of the conservative thinktank behind the policy blueprint, has apologized for endorsing the commentator's interview with Hitler supporter Nick Fuentes, but is declining demands to leave his position.