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With the record-breaking federal government standoff stretches toward day 38, US flight paths is about to get a little less busy. The same cannot be said for US terminals.

Precautionary Steps Enacted

Donald Trump’s air traffic agency has said flight numbers are being lowered to ensure air traffic control operational integrity during the federal government funding lapse, now the longest recorded and with little indication of a resolution between Republicans and Democrats 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, an action that will compel airlines to scrub numerous flights and trigger a cascade of scheduling issues and setbacks at major US air terminals.

Official Statement

The federal transportation leader, Sean Duffy, stated on online platforms Thursday that the move was “not politically driven” but rather “involving evaluation 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,” Duffy remarked.

Flight Cancellations

Analysts forecast hundreds if not thousands of flights might be called off. The flight decreases could represent as many as 1,800 flights and over 268,000 seats combined, based on an projection by the aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Impacted Locations

The targeted air hubs covering over 25 states include the busiest ones across the US – such as ATL, CLT, Denver, Dallas/Fort Worth, Florida destination, LAX, MIA and Bay Area airport. Within major metropolitan areas – including NYC, Houston and Chicago – various airports will be impacted.

Each of the three air terminals operating in the nation's capital region – Dulles Airport, BWI and Ronald Reagan Washington national – will be involved, inevitably causing flight disruptions for elected representatives as well as the flying public.

Additional Developments

• Here’s the roster of domestic airports cutting flights on Friday due to federal government closure.
• A previous justice department staffer who hurled a sandwich at a federal officer during the administration's law enforcement increase in DC received a not guilty verdict of assault by a DC jury on Thursday in the latest legal rebuke of the federal action.
• Certain Democratic lawmakers viewed Tuesday’s major voting successes as evidence they should hold the line and extract as much as possible from GOP members before consenting to conclude the record-breaking budget standoff in history.
• Democrats praised Nancy Pelosi as a “heroic, trailblazing” member of the US House of Representatives, an “legend” and the “most accomplished leader in American history”, following her announcement that after 20 terms in Congress she intends to step down.
• Kevin Roberts, the leader of the right-leaning policy organization behind Project 2025, expressed regret for backing the commentator's interview with Hitler admirer Nick Fuentes, but is rejecting appeals to step down.