Airport Control Towers To Stay Open
Friday, May 10, 2013
By: Matthew Peddie

May 10th, 2013 | The Federal Aviation Administration says it will keep so-called low activity airport control towers open through the end of the Fiscal year. 149 towers at smaller airports across the country were originally slated for closure because of sequestration budget cuts- including 14 in Florida.

[Image: The FAA took Kissimmee Airport's control tower off the closure list in March]

Federal Transportation Secretary Ray La Hood said Friday the recently passed Reducing Flight Delays Act allows the FAA to transfer enough money to end employee furloughs and keep the towers at smaller airports open.

The towers are operated by private companies under contract with the FAA.

Towers originally on the closure list in Central Florida included New Smyrna Beach Municipal Airport, Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, Leesburg International Airport, Ocala International Airport, Ormond Beach Municipal Airport and Space Coast Regional Airport.

Florida Democratic US Senator Bill Nelson said in a statement that keeping the towers open is important for public safety and for the local economies around those airports.