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Amid the historic federal government shutdown nears day 38, US airspace will become somewhat quieter. The same cannot be said for US terminals.

Safety Measures Put in Place

The federal aviation regulatory body has said air travel is being curtailed to maintain air traffic control safety during the federal government shutdown, now the longest recorded and with no apparent progress of a solution between GOP lawmakers and liberal officials to end the federal budget deadlock.

Airline regulators selected “high-volume markets” where the FAA says air traffic requires reduction by 4% by 6 a.m. Eastern on Friday, an action that will compel airlines to cancel thousands of flights and create a series of scheduling complications and hold-ups at key American travel hubs.

Official Statement

The federal transportation leader, Sean Duffy, commented on social media Thursday that the move was “not politically driven” but rather “concerned with reviewing the data and mitigating growing safety concerns in the system as controllers continue working without pay”.

“It’s safe to fly today, tomorrow, and the day after because of the preventive measures we are taking,” he remarked.

Airline Cutbacks

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

Affected Airports

The involved terminals covering over 25 states include the most trafficked across the US – such as ATL, CLT, Colorado's hub, Texas metroplex, Orlando, Los Angeles, Florida hotspot and SFO. Within major metropolitan areas – such as NYC, Texas city and Illinois hub – several air terminals will be involved.

Each of the three air terminals serving the nation's capital region – Washington Dulles international, BWI and DCA – will be involved, certainly generating delays and cancellations for government officials as well as the flying public.

Other Developments

• This is the list of US airports cutting flights on Friday due to federal government closure.
• An ex-DOJ worker who hurled a sandwich at a government officer during the administration's law enforcement presence in Washington DC was acquitted of assault by a DC jury on Thursday in the latest legal rebuke of the federal involvement.
• Certain Democratic lawmakers interpreted Tuesday’s major voting successes as indication they should maintain their position and secure the best deal from Republicans before approving the termination of the lengthiest federal closure in history.
• Democratic officials lauded Nancy Pelosi as a “courageous, pioneering” member of the US House of Representatives, an “symbol” and the “finest presiding officer in American history”, after her announcement that following two decades in Congress she will leave office.
• The thinktank head, the director of the right-leaning policy organization behind the conservative initiative, issued an apology for endorsing the commentator's interview with Hitler admirer Nick Fuentes, but is resisting calls to resign.