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With the record-breaking federal government shutdown approaches day 38, US flight paths is about to get less congested. Contrastingly for US air travel hubs.

Protective Actions Enacted

Donald Trump’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has said air travel is being curtailed to uphold air traffic control operational integrity during the federal government funding lapse, now the longest recorded and with no apparent progress of a agreement between Republicans and Democrats to end the federal budget standoff.

Aviation authorities identified “high-volume markets” where the FAA says air traffic must be reduced by 4% by 6am ET on Friday, an action that will compel airlines to cancel thousands of flights and cause a chain reaction of scheduling complications and setbacks at some of the nation’s largest airports.

Official Statement

The federal transportation leader, Sean Duffy, stated on social media Thursday that the move was “not about politics” but rather “involving evaluation the data and alleviating growing safety concerns in the system as controllers continue working without pay”.

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

Airline Cutbacks

Specialists anticipate hundreds or even thousands of flights could be canceled. These reductions could represent up to 1,800 flights and over 268,000 seats collectively, based on an projection by the aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Impacted Locations

The affected airports including numerous states include the highest-volume locations across the US – including Atlanta, North Carolina's city, Colorado's hub, DFW, Florida destination, California gateway, Miami and SFO. Among key urban centers – such as New York, Texas city and Illinois hub – multiple airports will be affected.

The trio of airports operating in the nation's capital region – IAD, BWI Airport and DCA – will be impacted, likely creating schedule changes for government officials as well as other travelers.

Additional Developments

• Below is the roster of domestic airports cutting flights on Friday as a result of federal government funding lapse.
• A former Department of Justice employee who hurled a sandwich at a federal officer during Donald Trump’s law enforcement increase in the capital was found not guilty of assault by a DC jury on Thursday in the latest legal rejection of the federal action.
• Some Democratic legislators saw Tuesday’s major voting successes as indication they should stand firm and extract as much as possible from GOP members before approving the termination of the lengthiest federal closure in history.
• Democrats praised Nancy Pelosi as a “bold, groundbreaking” member of the US House of Representatives, an “icon” and the “greatest speaker in American history”, subsequent to her statement that following two decades in Congress she will leave office.
• The conservative leader, the chief of the conservative thinktank behind the conservative initiative, issued an apology for backing the commentator's interview with Hitler admirer Nick Fuentes, but is declining demands to resign.