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As the unprecedented federal government closure nears day 38, US airspace will become somewhat quieter. Contrastingly for US air travel hubs.

Precautionary Steps Enacted

Donald Trump’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has said air travel is being curtailed to maintain air traffic control safety during the federal government funding lapse, currently the lengthiest in history and with no apparent progress of a solution between GOP lawmakers and Democratic representatives to end the federal budget deadlock.

Aviation authorities selected “busiest routes” where the FAA says air traffic requires reduction 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 hold-ups at some of the nation’s largest airports.

Administration Remarks

Trump’s transportation chief, Sean Duffy, commented on online platforms Thursday that the action was “not politically driven” but rather “concerned with reviewing the data and alleviating accumulating danger 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 preventive measures we are taking,” the official added.

Flight Cancellations

Experts predict hundreds or even thousands of flights could be canceled. These reductions could represent as many as 1,800 flights and more than 268,000 seats collectively, according to an projection by the aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Targeted Terminals

The targeted air hubs including numerous states include the highest-volume locations across the US – such as ATL, Charlotte, Colorado's hub, DFW, Orlando, California gateway, Florida hotspot and San Francisco. In some of the biggest cities – including NYC, Houston and Illinois hub – various airports will be involved.

The trio of airports serving the nation's capital region – Washington Dulles international, Baltimore/Washington international and DCA – will be impacted, inevitably causing flight disruptions for elected representatives as well as other travelers.

Other Developments

• This is the compilation of American air terminals cutting flights on Friday as a result of federal government closure.
• An ex-DOJ worker who hurled a sandwich at a government officer during Donald Trump’s law enforcement increase in Washington DC was found not guilty of assault by a DC jury on Thursday representing a recent legal rejection of the federal intervention.
• Some Democratic legislators saw Tuesday’s significant election victories as indication they should maintain their position and extract as much as possible from GOP members before approving the termination of the longest government shutdown in history.
• Liberal lawmakers commended Nancy Pelosi as a “courageous, pioneering” member of the US House of Representatives, an “legend” and the “most accomplished leader in American history”, subsequent to her declaration that after 20 terms in Congress she will leave office.
• The conservative leader, the chief of the right-leaning policy organization behind the conservative initiative, has apologized for endorsing Tucker Carlson’s interview with Hitler fan Nick Fuentes, but is rejecting appeals to resign.