Air Traffic Control Towers May Stay Open

The airport traffic control stories and updates keep popping up with KAPP-tv now reporting that U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) joined a bipartisan coalition of 41 senators in urging the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to stop the planned closure of 149 contract towers – including five in Washington state.The 149 towers are planned to close June 15, but now Cantwell – the Chairwoman of the Senate Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security – joined her colleagues in calling for the towers to remain open past next month and KAPP-tv reports that it may be possible with President Obama signing the "Reducing Flight Delays Act of 2013" into law May 1.

Govtrack.us states the full title of the act is as follows:

"To provide the Secretary of Transportation with the flexibility to transfer certain funds to prevent reduced operations and staffing of the Federal Aviation Administration, and for other purposes."

 

KAPP-tv says a letter sent Thursday to DOT Secretary Ray LaHood and FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, the senators stated their intent of keeping the towers open in order to ensure a “safe and efficient air transportation system” as the legislation outlines.