FAA, DOT Stay Mum on Fate of Contract Towers

Stephen Pope

Thursday, May 09, 2013 at 09:56 PM ET

Verified

** Ray LaHood and Michael Huerta**

Key Takeaways:

The FAA and Department of Transportation are still undecided on whether to keep 149 contract air traffic control towers open, despite Congress allocating significant funds (up to $253 million) in the "Reducing Flight Delays Act of 2013" with the clear intent to prevent their closure.
The legislative act did not explicitly mandate the towers' continued operation, leading to DOT's ongoing evaluation of the matter before a looming June 15 closure deadline.
This uncertainty has triggered lawsuits from affected airports and strong condemnation from aviation groups, senators, and mayors, all urging the FAA to maintain the towers due to concerns for safety, efficiency, and local economies.

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When Congress passed legislation in late April ending air traffic controller furloughs, the message to the FAA was clear: Keep the aviation system running smoothly and safely. Yet despite providing ample money for continued operation of 149 of the nation’s contract control towers, the FAA and the Department of Transportation have stayed mum on whether they’ll actually follow through and keep these facilities open.

Congress is partly to blame. In enacting the Reducing Flight Delays Act of 2013 lawmakers provided enough money to put controllers back to work and keep the 149 contract towers open, yet nowhere in the bill does it say the FAA must keep the contract towers operating. The Transportation Department says it’s considering the matter as a June 15 closure deadline looms.