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Amid the record-breaking federal government standoff stretches toward day 38, US flight paths are set to become a little less busy. Contrastingly for US airports.

Protective Actions Enacted

Donald Trump’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced air travel is being curtailed to uphold air traffic control operational integrity during the federal government closure, setting a new duration record and with no apparent progress of a solution between conservative legislators and Democrats to end the federal budget impasse.

Flight oversight bodies selected “high-volume markets” where the FAA says air traffic needs cutting by 4% by 6am ET on Friday, a step requiring airlines to scrub numerous flights and create a cascade of scheduling complications and delays at major US air terminals.

Government Commentary

Trump’s transportation chief, Sean Duffy, stated on X Thursday that the decision was “not about politics” but rather “about assessing the data and mitigating building risk in the system as air traffic professionals continue working without pay”.

“Flying is safe today, tomorrow, and the day after because of the forward-thinking steps we are taking,” he added.

Flight Cancellations

Analysts forecast hundreds if not thousands of flights could be canceled. These reductions could represent approximately 1,800 flights and upwards of 268,000 seats total, per an estimate by the aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Impacted Locations

The involved terminals covering over 25 states include the busiest ones across the US – featuring Atlanta, Charlotte, Denver, Dallas/Fort Worth, Orlando, Los Angeles, Florida hotspot and SFO. Within major metropolitan areas – including NYC, Houston and Illinois hub – various airports will be impacted.

The trio of airports operating in the nation's capital region – IAD, BWI and DCA – will be affected, inevitably causing schedule changes for lawmakers as well as the flying public.

Related Updates

• Below is the roster of domestic airports reducing air travel on Friday as a result of federal government closure.
• An ex-DOJ worker who threw a sandwich at a government officer during the administration's law enforcement increase in Washington DC received a not guilty verdict of assault by a DC jury on Thursday representing a recent legal setback of the federal action.
• Some Democratic legislators viewed Tuesday’s significant election victories as evidence they should hold the line and gain maximum concessions from conservative lawmakers before agreeing to end the lengthiest federal closure in history.
• Democrats praised Nancy Pelosi as a “bold, groundbreaking” member of the US House of Representatives, an “legend” and the “finest presiding officer in American history”, subsequent to her announcement that following two decades in Congress she plans to retire.
• The conservative leader, the director of the right-leaning policy organization behind Project 2025, has apologized for supporting Tucker Carlson’s interview with Hitler supporter Nick Fuentes, but is declining demands to leave his position.