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With the record-breaking federal government shutdown approaches day 38, US airspace is about to get less congested. This doesn't apply for US air travel hubs.

Protective Actions Enacted

The current administration's aviation regulatory body has said flights are being reduced to maintain air traffic control security during the federal government closure, setting a new duration record and with no sign of a resolution between conservative legislators and Democratic representatives to end the federal budget deadlock.

Airline regulators identified “high-volume markets” where the FAA says air traffic requires reduction by 4% by 6am ET on Friday, a step requiring airlines to call off thousands of journeys and cause a chain reaction of scheduling problems and setbacks at key American travel hubs.

Government Commentary

The administration's transportation head, Sean Duffy, stated on X Thursday that the move was “not politically driven” but rather “about assessing the data and reducing building risk in the system as flight directors continue working without pay”.

“It’s safe to fly today, tomorrow, and the day after because of the proactive actions we are taking,” he remarked.

Flight Cancellations

Experts predict hundreds if not thousands of flights may be scrapped. These reductions could represent up to 1,800 flights and more than 268,000 seats total, per an estimate by the aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Affected Airports

The affected airports including over 25 states include the most trafficked across the US – such as ATL, Charlotte, Colorado's hub, Texas metroplex, MCO, California gateway, Florida hotspot and Bay Area airport. In some of the biggest cities – such as NYC, Texas city and Illinois hub – multiple airports will be involved.

The trio of airports operating in the Washington DC area – Washington Dulles international, BWI Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington national – will be impacted, likely creating schedule changes for lawmakers as well as additional passengers.

Related Updates

• Below is the list of US airports reducing air travel on Friday as a result of federal government closure.
• A previous justice department staffer who tossed food at a federal officer during the administration's law enforcement increase in DC was acquitted of assault by a DC jury on Thursday marking another legal rejection of the federal action.
• Certain Democratic lawmakers interpreted Tuesday’s big electoral wins as indication they should stand firm and extract as much as possible from Republicans before consenting to conclude the record-breaking budget standoff in history.
• Liberal lawmakers commended Nancy Pelosi as a “courageous, pioneering” member of the US House of Representatives, an “icon” and the “most accomplished leader in American history”, subsequent to her declaration that after 20 terms in Congress she intends to step down.
• The thinktank head, the chief of the political research group behind the conservative initiative, expressed regret for endorsing the host's interview with Hitler supporter Nick Fuentes, but is declining demands to resign.