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As the unprecedented federal government shutdown stretches toward day 38, US flight paths is about to get somewhat quieter. Contrastingly for US airports.

Precautionary Steps Implemented

Donald Trump’s aviation regulatory body has said flight numbers are being lowered to uphold air traffic control operational integrity during the federal government shutdown, now the longest recorded and with no sign of a solution between GOP lawmakers and liberal officials to end the federal budget standoff.

Airline regulators pinpointed “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 create a series of scheduling issues and hold-ups at some of the nation’s largest airports.

Official Statement

Trump’s transportation chief, Sean Duffy, commented on X Thursday that the move was “unrelated to political motives” but rather “involving evaluation the data and reducing growing safety concerns in the system as controllers continue working without pay”.

“Flying is safe today, tomorrow, and the day after because of the proactive actions we are taking,” he added.

Airline Cutbacks

Experts predict hundreds if not thousands of flights could be canceled. The flight decreases may constitute approximately 1,800 flights and more than 268,000 seats total, per an calculation by the aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Affected Airports

The affected airports including over 25 states include the highest-volume locations across the US – such as ATL, CLT, DEN, DFW, Orlando, California gateway, Florida hotspot and San Francisco. In some of the biggest cities – such as NYC, Texas city and Illinois hub – multiple airports will be involved.

The trio of airports serving the DC metro – Washington Dulles international, Baltimore/Washington international and DCA – will be involved, inevitably causing delays and cancellations for government officials as well as other travelers.

Other Developments

• Here’s the compilation of American air terminals reducing air travel on Friday due to federal government closure.
• A former Department of Justice employee who tossed food at a federal agent during the current law enforcement surge in DC was acquitted of assault by a DC jury on Thursday marking another legal rebuke of the federal involvement.
• Certain Democratic lawmakers saw Tuesday’s major voting successes as indication they should stand firm and secure the best deal from GOP members before consenting to conclude the record-breaking budget standoff 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 after 20 terms in Congress she plans to retire.
• The conservative leader, the chief of the political research group behind Project 2025, issued an apology for backing the host's interview with Hitler fan Nick Fuentes, but is resisting calls to step down.