🔗 Share this article

With the record-breaking federal government shutdown nears day 38, US skies is about to get a little less busy. This doesn't apply for US air travel hubs.

Precautionary Steps Implemented

Donald Trump’s air traffic agency announced flight numbers are being lowered to uphold air traffic control safety during the federal government shutdown, setting a new duration record and with little indication of a resolution between Republicans and Democrats to end the federal budget deadlock.

Aviation authorities selected “congested corridors” where the FAA says air traffic must be reduced by 4% by 6am ET on Friday, a move that would force airlines to scrub numerous flights and create a cascade of scheduling complications and hold-ups at key American travel hubs.

Administration Remarks

Trump’s transportation chief, Sean Duffy, stated on online platforms Thursday that the action was “unrelated to political motives” but rather “concerned with reviewing the data and mitigating building risk in the system as flight directors continue working without pay”.

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

Travel Disruptions

Specialists anticipate hundreds if not thousands of flights may be scrapped. These reductions could represent as many as 1,800 flights and over 268,000 seats total, per an estimate by the aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Impacted Locations

The affected airports covering numerous states include the busiest ones across the US – featuring Georgia's capital, North Carolina's city, DEN, Dallas/Fort Worth, Florida destination, Los Angeles, Florida hotspot and San Francisco. Among key urban centers – including New York, Texas city and Illinois hub – several air terminals will be impacted.

Each of the three air terminals serving the Washington DC area – Washington Dulles international, BWI Airport and DCA – will be impacted, certainly generating schedule changes for lawmakers as well as other travelers.

Additional Developments

• Below is the roster of domestic airports reducing air travel on Friday due to federal government shutdown.
• A former Department of Justice employee who hurled a sandwich at a federal agent during the administration's law enforcement surge in the capital was found not guilty of assault by a DC jury on Thursday marking another legal rebuke of the federal involvement.
• Several liberal representatives interpreted Tuesday’s significant election victories as proof they should stand firm and extract as much as possible from Republicans before consenting to conclude the longest government shutdown in history.
• Democrats praised Nancy Pelosi as a “bold, groundbreaking” member of the US House of Representatives, an “icon” and the “most accomplished leader in American history”, subsequent to her statement that post twenty congressional sessions in Congress she will leave office.
• Kevin Roberts, the leader of the conservative thinktank behind the policy blueprint, issued an apology for supporting the host's interview with Hitler fan Nick Fuentes, but is declining demands to leave his position.