Aviation’s Next Crisis: Looming Controller Furloughs

Stephen Pope

Friday, April 12, 2013 at 08:00 PM ET

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Key Takeaways:

Thousands of air traffic controllers will face furloughs starting April 21 due to mandatory budget cuts, expected to cause significant flight delays and reduced airport capacity.
The FAA also plans to close 149 contract control towers on June 15, which would further exacerbate delays and restrict operations for corporate aircraft with specific insurance requirements.
These combined measures pose a severe threat to air travel, potentially causing widespread disruptions and preventing some operators from flying.
While Congress has introduced bills to block the tower closures, the controller furloughs are set to begin as scheduled.

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As the fate of 149 of the country’s contract control towers hangs in the balance, pilots and the traveling public face another imminent threat to their ability to fly: the furloughs of thousands of air traffic controllers at airports and center facilities across the country beginning on April 21.

The FAA says the furloughs are unavoidable under mandatory sequestration budget cuts. The agency predicts flights could be delayed by up to 90 minutes at busy airports as a result.