FAA spending cuts has airport towers closing next month

AROUND MISSISSIPPI — Seven air traffic control towers in Mississippi are among 173 scheduled to be closed nationwide in early April, as the Federal Aviation Administration shuts off funding for those services.

The shutdowns are part of the FAA’s move to reduce spending by $600 million under automatic federal budget cuts known as sequestration. They affect mostly small- and medium-sized airports.

Mississippi airports on the list are Tupelo, Bay St. Louis, Columbus, Greenville, Hawkins Field at Jackson, Meridian and Olive Branch.

The FAA says it will review its list of airports that have fewer than 150,000 total operations and fewer than 10,000 boardings.

The move means Air Force training aircraft from Columbus will be unable to stop in Tupelo for fuel because regulations prevent them from flying into airfields without control towers.

One Response to “FAA spending cuts has airport towers closing next month”

1. JJ Johnson Says:
   March 9th, 2013 at 9:48 am

   We Need your help:
   To Prevent the closure of air traffic control towers in the U.S.A. as a result of the Budget Control Act – Sequestration. Please sign this petition, thank you!!!
   http://wh.gov/GCng