US to cancel flights as longest govt. shutdown drags on

US officials said the scheduled capacity for flights would be cut by 10 percent in 40 busy air traffic areas nationwide on Friday as the longest government shutdown drags on.

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Federal agencies have been grinding to a halt since Congress failed to approve funding past September 30, with some 1.4 million federal workers, from air traffic controllers to park wardens, still on enforced leave or working without pay.

"There is going to be a 10 percent reduction in capacity at 40 of our locations," Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told a White House news briefing on Wednesday, adding that the cuts would come into effect on Friday.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) chief Bryan Bedford said the reductions would be at "40 high traffic environment markets."

The official list of affected airports is expected to be published later on Thursday but, according to US media outlets, flights will be reduced at some of the busiest airports in the nation, including Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, Miami and Washington.