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With the unprecedented federal government shutdown nears day 38, US flight paths will become somewhat quieter. The same cannot be said for US airports.

Precautionary Steps Put in Place

The current administration's aviation regulatory body announced flight numbers are being lowered to maintain air traffic control operational integrity during the federal government funding lapse, setting a new duration record and with little indication of a agreement between GOP lawmakers and Democrats to end the federal budget impasse.

Aviation authorities identified “congested corridors” where the FAA says air traffic must be reduced by 4% by 6 a.m. Eastern on Friday, a step requiring airlines to call off thousands of journeys and trigger a chain reaction of scheduling complications and delays at major US air terminals.

Official Statement

Trump’s transportation chief, Sean Duffy, wrote on X Thursday that the decision was “unrelated to political motives” but rather “involving evaluation the data and reducing accumulating danger in the system as air traffic professionals continue working without pay”.

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

Travel Disruptions

Analysts forecast hundreds or even thousands of flights could be canceled. The flight decreases could represent as many as 1,800 flights and over 268,000 seats collectively, based on an projection by the aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Impacted Locations

The targeted air hubs covering more than two dozen states include the highest-volume locations across the US – featuring ATL, CLT, Colorado's hub, Texas metroplex, Florida destination, California gateway, Miami and San Francisco. In some of the biggest cities – such as NYC, Texas city and Illinois hub – multiple airports will be impacted.

All three airports serving the DC metro – Washington Dulles international, BWI and DCA – will be impacted, likely creating flight disruptions for government officials as well as additional passengers.

Additional Developments

• Here’s the list of US airports decreasing flights on Friday due to federal government shutdown.
• A previous justice department staffer who hurled a sandwich at a federal officer during the administration's law enforcement surge in DC was found not guilty of assault by a DC jury on Thursday marking another legal rejection of the federal action.
• Certain Democratic lawmakers viewed Tuesday’s major voting successes as indication they should maintain their position and extract as much as possible from Republicans before consenting to conclude the longest government shutdown in history.
• Democrats praised 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 statement that following two decades in Congress she plans to retire.
• The thinktank head, the director of the political research group behind the conservative initiative, issued an apology for backing Tucker Carlson’s interview with Hitler fan Nick Fuentes, but is declining demands to leave his position.