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As the historic federal government standoff stretches toward day 38, US skies is about to get less congested. This doesn't apply for US terminals.

Safety Measures Enacted

The current administration's aviation regulatory body stated flights are being reduced to maintain air traffic control operational integrity during the federal government funding lapse, currently the lengthiest in history and with little indication of a solution between GOP lawmakers and liberal officials to end the federal budget impasse.

Aviation authorities pinpointed “busiest routes” where the FAA says air traffic needs cutting by 4% by 6 a.m. Eastern on Friday, an action that will compel airlines to cancel thousands of flights and trigger a chain reaction of scheduling problems and hold-ups at major US air terminals.

Government Commentary

The administration's transportation head, Sean Duffy, stated on X Thursday that the decision was “not politically driven” but rather “concerned with reviewing the data and reducing accumulating danger in the system as flight directors continue working without pay”.

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

Travel Disruptions

Analysts forecast hundreds or even thousands of flights might be called off. The cuts might account for approximately 1,800 flights and more than 268,000 seats combined, according to an estimate by the aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Impacted Locations

The involved terminals including more than two dozen states include the busiest ones across the US – such as Georgia's capital, Charlotte, Denver, DFW, MCO, LAX, MIA and SFO. In some of the biggest cities – including NYC, Texas city and Chicago – multiple airports will be affected.

Each of the three air terminals serving the nation's capital region – Dulles Airport, BWI Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington national – will be affected, inevitably causing delays and cancellations for lawmakers as well as the flying public.

Other Developments

• Here’s the roster of domestic airports decreasing flights on Friday as a result of federal government funding lapse.
• A previous justice department staffer who threw a sandwich at a federal officer during the administration's law enforcement increase in DC was found not guilty of assault by a DC jury on Thursday representing a recent legal rebuke of the federal involvement.
• Several liberal representatives interpreted Tuesday’s significant election victories as indication they should maintain their position and extract as much as possible from GOP members before approving the termination of the longest government shutdown in history.
• Democrats praised Nancy Pelosi as a “heroic, trailblazing” member of the US House of Representatives, an “icon” and the “greatest speaker in American history”, following her announcement that following two decades in Congress she will leave office.
• Kevin Roberts, the chief of the conservative thinktank behind the policy blueprint, issued an apology for supporting Tucker Carlson’s interview with Hitler supporter Nick Fuentes, but is resisting calls to leave his position.