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.
