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Amid the historic federal government shutdown stretches toward day 38, US skies are set to become less congested. This doesn't apply for US air travel hubs.

Safety Measures Enacted

The current administration's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced flight numbers are being lowered to uphold air traffic control security during the federal government closure, setting a new duration record and with no apparent progress of a solution between GOP lawmakers and liberal officials to end the federal budget standoff.

Airline regulators identified “congested corridors” where the FAA says air traffic must be reduced by 4% by 6 a.m. Eastern on Friday, a step requiring airlines to call off thousands of journeys and cause a cascade of scheduling problems and setbacks at major US air terminals.

Government Commentary

The administration's transportation head, Sean Duffy, commented on online platforms Thursday that the action was “unrelated to political motives” but rather “concerned with reviewing the data and mitigating 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 proactive actions we are taking,” the official stated.

Travel Disruptions

Experts predict numerous potentially thousands of flights could be canceled. The flight decreases might account for as many as 1,800 flights and over 268,000 seats combined, per an estimate by the aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Targeted Terminals

The targeted air hubs including numerous states include the busiest ones across the US – including ATL, North Carolina's city, Denver, Dallas/Fort Worth, MCO, LAX, Miami and Bay Area airport. Among key urban centers – such as NYC, Houston and Chicago – various airports will be affected.

All three airports serving the DC metro – IAD, Baltimore/Washington international and DCA – will be involved, certainly generating delays and cancellations for elected representatives as well as additional passengers.

Additional Developments

• Here’s the list of US airports cutting flights on Friday as a result of federal government funding lapse.
• A former Department of Justice employee who hurled a sandwich at a federal agent during the administration's law enforcement increase in Washington DC was found not guilty of assault by a DC jury on Thursday in the latest legal rebuke of the federal intervention.
• Certain Democratic lawmakers viewed Tuesday’s major voting successes as proof they should maintain their position and extract as much as possible from GOP members before consenting to conclude the record-breaking budget standoff in history.
• Democrats praised Nancy Pelosi as a “courageous, pioneering” member of the US House of Representatives, an “icon” and the “most accomplished leader in American history”, following her declaration that following two decades in Congress she plans to retire.
• The thinktank head, the leader of the conservative thinktank behind the policy blueprint, issued an apology for supporting Tucker Carlson’s interview with Hitler fan Nick Fuentes, but is declining demands to step down.