🔗 Share this article

With the historic federal government closure nears day 38, US flight paths will become somewhat quieter. The same cannot be said for US airports.

Safety Measures Enacted

The current administration's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced flight numbers are being lowered to maintain air traffic control safety during the federal government shutdown, currently the lengthiest in history and with no sign of a agreement between GOP lawmakers and Democrats to end the federal budget deadlock.

Flight oversight bodies selected “busiest routes” 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 chain reaction of scheduling problems and hold-ups at some of the nation’s largest airports.

Official Statement

The administration's transportation head, Sean Duffy, commented on online platforms Thursday that the decision was “not politically driven” but rather “involving evaluation the data and mitigating growing safety concerns in the system as air traffic professionals continue working without pay”.

“It’s safe to fly today, tomorrow, and the day after because of the forward-thinking steps we are taking,” he added.

Travel Disruptions

Specialists anticipate hundreds if not thousands of flights might be called off. The flight decreases could represent up to 1,800 flights and upwards of 268,000 seats combined, according to an projection by the aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Impacted Locations

The affected airports covering more than two dozen states include the highest-volume locations across the US – featuring Atlanta, CLT, DEN, Texas metroplex, MCO, Los Angeles, MIA and SFO. Among key urban centers – like New York, Texas city and Illinois hub – several air terminals will be involved.

All three airports operating in the nation's capital region – Dulles Airport, Baltimore/Washington international and Ronald Reagan Washington national – will be impacted, certainly generating schedule changes for elected representatives as well as other travelers.

Additional Developments

• Below is the list of US airports cutting flights on Friday because of federal government closure.
• A previous justice department staffer who tossed food at a federal agent during Donald Trump’s law enforcement surge in Washington DC received a not guilty verdict of assault by a DC jury on Thursday representing a recent legal rejection of the federal action.
• Some Democratic legislators interpreted Tuesday’s major voting successes as evidence they should hold the line and gain maximum concessions from GOP members before approving the termination of the lengthiest federal closure in history.
• Liberal lawmakers commended Nancy Pelosi as a “courageous, pioneering” member of the US House of Representatives, an “symbol” and the “finest presiding officer in American history”, following her declaration that post twenty congressional sessions in Congress she plans to retire.
• The conservative leader, the director of the right-leaning policy organization behind the policy blueprint, issued an apology for backing the host's interview with Hitler admirer Nick Fuentes, but is declining demands to step down.