US will publish list of 40 airports where air traffic will be reduced

Likely airspace shutdown comes two weeks before Thanksgiving holiday, typically the busiest travel period of the yearUS politics live – latest updatesUS airline regulators are expected to publish a list of 40 airports serving “high-volume markets” where air traffic will be reduced on Friday, a move that could would force airlines to cancel thousands of flights and create a cascade of scheduling issues and delays at some of nation’s largest airports.The Federal Administration Agency has said flights are being reduced to maintain safety during the ongoing federal government shutdown, now the longest recorded and with no sign of a resolution between Republicans and Democrats to end the federal budget standoff, now in its 35th day.
Experts predict hundreds if not thousands of flights could be canceled. The cuts could represent as many as 1,800 flights and upwards of 268,000 seats combined, according to an estimate by aviation analytics firm Cirium. Continue reading...