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With the historic federal government shutdown stretches toward day 38, US flight paths is about to get a little less busy. Contrastingly for US terminals.

Protective Actions Implemented

Donald Trump’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced flight numbers are being lowered to maintain air traffic control security during the federal government shutdown, now the longest recorded and with no apparent progress of a resolution between GOP lawmakers and Democrats to end the federal budget standoff.

Airline regulators identified “high-volume markets” where the FAA says air traffic needs cutting by 4% by 6am ET on Friday, a step requiring airlines to cancel thousands of flights and cause a series of scheduling problems and delays at key American travel hubs.

Government Commentary

Trump’s transportation chief, Sean Duffy, commented on social media Thursday that the action was “unrelated to political motives” but rather “about assessing the data and alleviating accumulating danger in the system as controllers continue working without pay”.

“It’s safe to fly today, tomorrow, and the day after because of the forward-thinking steps we are taking,” Duffy stated.

Flight Cancellations

Analysts forecast hundreds if not thousands of flights could be canceled. The flight decreases may constitute as many as 1,800 flights and upwards of 268,000 seats collectively, per an estimate by the aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Targeted Terminals

The involved terminals including more than two dozen states include the busiest ones across the US – including Georgia's capital, CLT, DEN, Texas metroplex, MCO, California gateway, Florida hotspot and San Francisco. Within major metropolitan areas – such as New York, Houston and Illinois hub – multiple airports will be affected.

All three airports serving the nation's capital region – Washington Dulles international, BWI and Ronald Reagan Washington national – will be affected, likely creating flight disruptions for lawmakers as well as additional passengers.

Related Updates

• Below is the compilation of American air terminals cutting flights on Friday as a result of federal government closure.
• An ex-DOJ worker who threw a sandwich at a federal agent during the current law enforcement surge in DC was acquitted of assault by a DC jury on Thursday in the latest legal rebuke of the federal action.
• Several liberal representatives interpreted Tuesday’s major voting successes as evidence they should stand firm and gain maximum concessions from conservative lawmakers before agreeing to end the record-breaking budget standoff in history.
• Democratic officials lauded Nancy Pelosi as a “courageous, pioneering” member of the US House of Representatives, an “legend” and the “most accomplished leader in American history”, after her statement that after 20 terms in Congress she intends to step down.
• The conservative leader, the director of the right-leaning policy organization behind the policy blueprint, issued an apology for backing Tucker Carlson’s interview with Hitler fan Nick Fuentes, but is declining demands to resign.