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As the record-breaking federal government standoff nears day 38, US skies is about to get somewhat quieter. Contrastingly for US terminals.

Safety Measures Put in Place

Donald Trump’s aviation regulatory body has said air travel is being curtailed to ensure air traffic control safety during the federal government closure, now the longest recorded and with little indication of a agreement between Republicans and Democratic representatives to end the federal budget deadlock.

Flight oversight bodies pinpointed “high-volume markets” where the FAA says air traffic needs cutting by 4% by 6 a.m. Eastern on Friday, a step requiring airlines to call off thousands of journeys and trigger a cascade of scheduling problems and setbacks at some of the nation’s largest airports.

Administration Remarks

The federal transportation leader, Sean Duffy, wrote on X Thursday that the decision was “not politically driven” but rather “concerned with reviewing the data and alleviating building risk in the system as air traffic professionals continue working without pay”.

“Air travel remains secure today, tomorrow, and the day after because of the preventive measures we are taking,” the official remarked.

Airline Cutbacks

Specialists anticipate numerous potentially thousands of flights could be canceled. The cuts might account for as many as 1,800 flights and more than 268,000 seats combined, according to an calculation by the aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Affected Airports

The affected airports including numerous states include the most trafficked across the US – featuring Georgia's capital, Charlotte, Colorado's hub, Dallas/Fort Worth, MCO, LAX, Florida hotspot and San Francisco. In some of the biggest cities – including NYC, Houston and Chicago – multiple airports will be affected.

The trio of airports serving the nation's capital region – IAD, Baltimore/Washington international and Reagan National – will be involved, certainly generating flight disruptions for government officials as well as the flying public.

Additional Developments

• Here’s the roster of domestic airports cutting flights on Friday because of federal government shutdown.
• An ex-DOJ worker who tossed food at a federal officer during Donald Trump’s law enforcement presence in the capital was acquitted of assault by a DC jury on Thursday marking another legal rejection of the federal involvement.
• Some Democratic legislators interpreted Tuesday’s major voting successes as indication they should hold the line and secure the best deal from conservative lawmakers before consenting to conclude the lengthiest federal closure in history.
• Democrats praised Nancy Pelosi as a “courageous, pioneering” member of the US House of Representatives, an “symbol” and the “greatest speaker in American history”, after her declaration that after 20 terms in Congress she will leave office.
• The thinktank head, the director of the conservative thinktank behind the conservative initiative, expressed regret for supporting Tucker Carlson’s interview with Hitler supporter Nick Fuentes, but is rejecting appeals to leave his position.