🔗 Share this article Federal Authorities Cuts Back US Air Travel as Government Closure Continues Amid the historic federal government closure nears day 38, US airspace are set to become a little less busy. Contrastingly for US airports. Precautionary Steps Enacted The federal air traffic agency stated air travel is being curtailed to ensure air traffic control security during the federal government shutdown, currently the lengthiest in history and with no sign of a agreement between conservative legislators and Democratic representatives to end the federal budget deadlock. Airline regulators pinpointed “high-volume markets” where the FAA says air traffic requires reduction by 4% by 6am ET on Friday, an action that will compel airlines to cancel thousands of flights and trigger a series of scheduling problems and hold-ups at major US air terminals. Official Statement The federal transportation leader, Sean Duffy, commented on social media Thursday that the move was “unrelated to political motives” but rather “concerned with reviewing the data and mitigating accumulating danger in the system as controllers continue working without pay”. “It’s safe to fly today, tomorrow, and the day after because of the proactive actions we are taking,” Duffy stated. Airline Cutbacks Analysts forecast hundreds if not thousands of flights could be canceled. The cuts could represent as many as 1,800 flights and more than 268,000 seats total, based on an projection by the aviation analytics firm Cirium. Impacted Locations The affected airports covering numerous states include the highest-volume locations across the US – including Georgia's capital, North Carolina's city, DEN, DFW, Orlando, LAX, Miami and SFO. In some of the biggest cities – such as New York, Texas city and Illinois hub – several air terminals will be involved. All three airports serving the nation's capital region – IAD, Baltimore/Washington international and Reagan National – will be involved, inevitably causing flight disruptions for lawmakers as well as other travelers. Additional Developments Below is the list of US airports cutting flights on Friday because of federal government shutdown. A former Department of Justice employee who threw a sandwich at a federal agent during the administration's law enforcement presence in the capital received a not guilty verdict of assault by a DC jury on Thursday representing a recent legal rebuke of the federal involvement. Certain Democratic lawmakers viewed Tuesday’s significant election victories as evidence they should hold the line and gain maximum concessions from Republicans before consenting to conclude the longest government shutdown in history. Democrats praised Nancy Pelosi as a “heroic, trailblazing” member of the US House of Representatives, an “legend” and the “greatest speaker in American history”, after her statement that following two decades in Congress she will leave office. The thinktank head, the director of the right-leaning policy organization behind Project 2025, issued an apology for backing the host's interview with Hitler admirer Nick Fuentes, but is rejecting appeals to resign.