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With the unprecedented federal government shutdown stretches toward day 38, US airspace are set to become less congested. Contrastingly for US air travel hubs.

Precautionary Steps Enacted

The federal Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has said flight numbers are being lowered to ensure air traffic control operational integrity during the federal government closure, now the longest recorded and with no apparent progress of a agreement between Republicans and Democrats to end the federal budget standoff.

Flight oversight bodies identified “busiest routes” where the FAA says air traffic must be reduced by 4% by early morning Eastern Time on Friday, a move that would force airlines to scrub numerous flights and cause a chain reaction of scheduling issues and setbacks at major US air terminals.

Government Commentary

Trump’s transportation chief, Sean Duffy, commented on X Thursday that the move was “not about politics” but rather “about assessing the data and mitigating accumulating danger in the system as flight directors continue working without pay”.

“Flying is safe today, tomorrow, and the day after because of the preventive measures we are taking,” the official added.

Flight Cancellations

Analysts forecast hundreds if not thousands of flights might be called off. These reductions could represent up to 1,800 flights and over 268,000 seats combined, per an estimate by the aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Affected Airports

The targeted air hubs covering more than two dozen states include the highest-volume locations across the US – featuring Georgia's capital, North Carolina's city, Denver, Dallas/Fort Worth, Orlando, California gateway, Florida hotspot and SFO. Within major metropolitan areas – like NYC, Texas city and Illinois hub – multiple airports will be involved.

Each of the three air terminals operating in the nation's capital region – Washington Dulles international, BWI Airport and Reagan National – will be involved, certainly generating delays and cancellations for lawmakers as well as additional passengers.

Other Developments

• Here’s the roster of domestic airports cutting flights on Friday as a result of federal government closure.
• A previous justice department staffer who tossed food at a federal agent during the administration's law enforcement surge in the capital received a not guilty verdict of assault by a DC jury on Thursday marking another legal setback of the federal involvement.
• Certain Democratic lawmakers interpreted Tuesday’s significant election victories as evidence they should hold the line and extract as much as possible from conservative lawmakers before approving the termination of the lengthiest federal closure in history.
• Democrats praised Nancy Pelosi as a “courageous, pioneering” member of the US House of Representatives, an “icon” and the “greatest speaker in American history”, subsequent to her statement that post twenty congressional sessions in Congress she plans to retire.
• Kevin Roberts, the director of the conservative thinktank behind Project 2025, has apologized for endorsing Tucker Carlson’s interview with Hitler fan Nick Fuentes, but is rejecting appeals to leave his position.