🔗 Share this article

With the unprecedented federal government standoff nears day 38, US skies are set to become a little less busy. The same cannot be said for US terminals.

Safety Measures Put in Place

The current administration's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has said air travel is being curtailed to ensure air traffic control security during the federal government closure, currently the lengthiest in history and with no sign of a solution between conservative legislators and Democratic representatives to end the federal budget standoff.

Flight oversight bodies selected “busiest routes” where the FAA says air traffic must be reduced 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

Trump’s transportation chief, Sean Duffy, stated on X Thursday that the move was “unrelated to political motives” but rather “concerned with reviewing the data and alleviating 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 preventive measures we are taking,” Duffy added.

Travel Disruptions

Analysts forecast hundreds if not thousands of flights might be called off. The flight decreases might account for up to 1,800 flights and more than 268,000 seats collectively, according to an calculation by the aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Targeted Terminals

The targeted air hubs covering numerous states include the busiest ones across the US – such as ATL, North Carolina's city, DEN, Dallas/Fort Worth, MCO, LAX, Miami and Bay Area airport. Within major metropolitan areas – such as New York, Houston and Chicago – various airports will be involved.

Each of the three air terminals serving the Washington DC area – Washington Dulles international, BWI Airport and DCA – will be impacted, inevitably causing flight disruptions for elected representatives as well as the flying public.

Other Developments

• Here’s the compilation of American air terminals reducing air travel on Friday due to federal government closure.
• A former Department of Justice employee who threw a sandwich at a government officer during the current law enforcement increase in DC was found not guilty of assault by a DC jury on Thursday in the latest legal rejection of the federal action.
• Some Democratic legislators interpreted Tuesday’s significant election victories as indication they should maintain their position and gain maximum concessions from conservative lawmakers before agreeing to end the longest government shutdown in history.
• Democrats praised Nancy Pelosi as a “bold, groundbreaking” member of the US House of Representatives, an “symbol” and the “finest presiding officer in American history”, subsequent to her declaration that post twenty congressional sessions in Congress she will leave office.
• The thinktank head, the chief of the political research group behind the policy blueprint, expressed regret for backing the commentator's interview with Hitler fan Nick Fuentes, but is declining demands to resign.