🔗 Share this article Federal Authorities Lowers US Flights as Shutdown Stretches On As the unprecedented federal government standoff nears day 38, US flight paths will become somewhat quieter. Contrastingly for US terminals. Protective Actions Put in Place The current administration's aviation regulatory body announced air travel is being curtailed to uphold air traffic control safety during the federal government closure, now the longest recorded and with little indication of a resolution between conservative legislators and Democratic representatives to end the federal budget standoff. Flight oversight bodies selected “congested corridors” where the FAA says air traffic needs cutting by 4% by 6 a.m. Eastern on Friday, a step requiring airlines to scrub numerous flights and cause a cascade of scheduling issues and delays at major US air terminals. Official Statement The federal transportation leader, Sean Duffy, commented on online platforms Thursday that the decision was “unrelated to political motives” but rather “concerned with reviewing the data and alleviating accumulating danger in the system as air traffic professionals continue working without pay”. “Flying is safe today, tomorrow, and the day after because of the proactive actions we are taking,” he stated. Airline Cutbacks Analysts forecast hundreds if not thousands of flights might be called off. The cuts could represent approximately 1,800 flights and more than 268,000 seats combined, according to an calculation by the aviation analytics firm Cirium. Affected Airports The targeted air hubs spanning more than two dozen states include the most trafficked across the US – such as ATL, North Carolina's city, Colorado's hub, DFW, MCO, Los Angeles, MIA and Bay Area airport. In some of the biggest cities – including NYC, Houston and Chicago – several air terminals will be involved. The trio of airports serving the Washington DC area – Dulles Airport, BWI and Reagan National – will be impacted, certainly generating schedule changes for elected representatives as well as other travelers. Other Developments Below is the roster of domestic airports cutting flights on Friday due to federal government shutdown. An ex-DOJ worker who threw a sandwich at a federal officer during the administration's law enforcement surge in the capital was found not guilty of assault by a DC jury on Thursday in the latest legal setback of the federal action. Some Democratic legislators saw Tuesday’s major voting successes as indication they should hold the line and gain maximum concessions from conservative lawmakers before agreeing to end the longest government shutdown in history. Liberal lawmakers commended Nancy Pelosi as a “courageous, pioneering” member of the US House of Representatives, an “symbol” and the “greatest speaker in American history”, following her statement that after 20 terms in Congress she will leave office. Kevin Roberts, the chief of the conservative thinktank behind Project 2025, has apologized for supporting the commentator's interview with Hitler admirer Nick Fuentes, but is declining demands to leave his position.