Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood warned Friday of massive delays in flights and the closing of 100 smaller air-traffic control towers, possibly including several airports in Missouri and northwest Arkansas, if the so-called sequestration cuts take effect on March 1
“These are harmful cuts with real-world consequences that will cost jobs and hurt the economy,” LaHood said from the White House briefing room.
Because of furloughs for air-traffic controllers, the Transportation Department plans to close 100 towers at airports that have 150,000 flights or fewer each year if automatic spending cuts go into effect on March 1. The federal budget reductions — which will trim $85 billion from a wide range of federal programs — will begin on Friday, unless lawmakers reach a last-minute deal to avert them.
LaHood said the Federal Aviation Administration will make a decision about which air-traffic control towers to close in consultation with controllers and airlines. The department will choose 100 airports from a list of 200.
Area airports on the target list include Joplin Regional, Branson and Jefferson City Memorial. Northwest Arkansas airports on the list include Springdale, Fort Smith, Fayetteville and Rogers.
LaHood’s announcement prompted an angry reaction from Missouri members of Congress.
Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said the White House was to blame for the situation.
“The president can manage this in a way that has a minimum impact for the economy if he’s willing to propose a better way to take these cuts,” Blunt said in a statement. “Unfortunately, he has refused to provide any specifics thus far.”
Rep. Billy Long, R-Springfield, said the president “seems to be planning to implement sequestration in the most disruptive and politically charged way possible.” Long suggested he would support giving the administration more flexibility in the way it implements the cuts, so the reductions would cause fewer problems.
“I am in favor of giving President Obama every tool he needs to deal with sequestration in the least disruptive way possible for the American public,” said Long in a statement. He did not elaborate.
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Steve Stockam, Joplin Regional Airport manager, called the situation “extremely frustrating” and said LaHood’s announcement seemed aimed at ramping up the pressure on Congress to block the $85 billion in cuts.
“It looks like this is a political move . . . trying to get the Congress to move on some of the revenue and taxes that the administration is proposing,” Stockam said.
The Obama administration has called for substituting the automatic, across-the-board cuts with a mix of tax increases and more targeted spending reductions. Republicans have refused to consider any tax increases.
“It continues to be extremely frustrating to us,” said Stockam, “because we just don’t understand why these types of cuts are being made that really affect public safety.”
He said the Joplin airport would not have to close even if its tower is unstaffed, because pilots can talk to each other as their planes land and take off. But it would be harder to ensure the safety of passengers without air traffic controllers guiding aircraft.
“It puts people in a greater risk because you don’t have that extra set of eyes directing traffic in and out of the facility,” he said. “You have a pilot, who is also trying to fly an airplane, trying to be a controller.”
LaHood also said flights from New York to San Francisco could be delayed 90 minutes because of the furloughs. He says once airlines understand how flights are delayed, they will begin canceling flights.
LaHood, a former Republican member of Congress, urged lawmakers to approve an alternative deficit-reduction measure to the $85 billion in spending cuts scheduled to hit every agency.
The full effect of flight delays and cancellations will be felt by April 1, LaHood said.
LaHood had warned lawmakers that Federal Aviation Administration workers would face furloughs of one day every two weeks through the end of September. But his comments Friday escalated the severity of warnings about what will happen.
LaHood says discussions were starting Friday with the National Air Traffic Controllers Association to eliminate midnight shift duty at 60 airports across the country.
Doug Church, spokesman for the union, says travelers will feel the impact of the cuts throughout spring and summer, with fewer flights and increased delays.
“The impacts of sequestration will be serious,” Church says. “Because these cuts must be across the board, FAA employees could face furloughs, including for air traffic controllers and other safety professionals.”
LaHood said members of Congress should expect a backlash from the traveling public.
“Their phones are going to start ringing,” LaHood says of lawmakers hearing from travelers. “Nobody likes a delay. Nobody likes waiting in line.”
LaHood says safety remains the department’s top priority. But because of staffing fewer air-traffic controllers, he says flights will be delayed and reduced.
“We don’t have to have this kind of calamity in air service in America,” LaHood said.
“These are harmful cuts with real-world consequences that will cost jobs and hurt the economy,” LaHood said from the White House briefing room.
Because of furloughs for air-traffic controllers, the Transportation Department plans to close 100 towers at airports that have 150,000 flights or fewer each year if automatic spending cuts go into effect on March 1. The federal budget reductions — which will trim $85 billion from a wide range of federal programs — will begin on Friday, unless lawmakers reach a last-minute deal to avert them.
LaHood said the Federal Aviation Administration will make a decision about which air-traffic control towers to close in consultation with controllers and airlines. The department will choose 100 airports from a list of 200.
Area airports on the target list include Joplin Regional, Branson and Jefferson City Memorial. Northwest Arkansas airports on the list include Springdale, Fort Smith, Fayetteville and Rogers.
LaHood’s announcement prompted an angry reaction from Missouri members of Congress.
Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said the White House was to blame for the situation.
“The president can manage this in a way that has a minimum impact for the economy if he’s willing to propose a better way to take these cuts,” Blunt said in a statement. “Unfortunately, he has refused to provide any specifics thus far.”
Rep. Billy Long, R-Springfield, said the president “seems to be planning to implement sequestration in the most disruptive and politically charged way possible.” Long suggested he would support giving the administration more flexibility in the way it implements the cuts, so the reductions would cause fewer problems.
“I am in favor of giving President Obama every tool he needs to deal with sequestration in the least disruptive way possible for the American public,” said Long in a statement. He did not elaborate.
(Page 2 of 2)
Steve Stockam, Joplin Regional Airport manager, called the situation “extremely frustrating” and said LaHood’s announcement seemed aimed at ramping up the pressure on Congress to block the $85 billion in cuts.
“It looks like this is a political move . . . trying to get the Congress to move on some of the revenue and taxes that the administration is proposing,” Stockam said.
The Obama administration has called for substituting the automatic, across-the-board cuts with a mix of tax increases and more targeted spending reductions. Republicans have refused to consider any tax increases.
“It continues to be extremely frustrating to us,” said Stockam, “because we just don’t understand why these types of cuts are being made that really affect public safety.”
He said the Joplin airport would not have to close even if its tower is unstaffed, because pilots can talk to each other as their planes land and take off. But it would be harder to ensure the safety of passengers without air traffic controllers guiding aircraft.
“It puts people in a greater risk because you don’t have that extra set of eyes directing traffic in and out of the facility,” he said. “You have a pilot, who is also trying to fly an airplane, trying to be a controller.”
LaHood also said flights from New York to San Francisco could be delayed 90 minutes because of the furloughs. He says once airlines understand how flights are delayed, they will begin canceling flights.
LaHood, a former Republican member of Congress, urged lawmakers to approve an alternative deficit-reduction measure to the $85 billion in spending cuts scheduled to hit every agency.
The full effect of flight delays and cancellations will be felt by April 1, LaHood said.
LaHood had warned lawmakers that Federal Aviation Administration workers would face furloughs of one day every two weeks through the end of September. But his comments Friday escalated the severity of warnings about what will happen.
LaHood says discussions were starting Friday with the National Air Traffic Controllers Association to eliminate midnight shift duty at 60 airports across the country.
Doug Church, spokesman for the union, says travelers will feel the impact of the cuts throughout spring and summer, with fewer flights and increased delays.
“The impacts of sequestration will be serious,” Church says. “Because these cuts must be across the board, FAA employees could face furloughs, including for air traffic controllers and other safety professionals.”
LaHood said members of Congress should expect a backlash from the traveling public.
“Their phones are going to start ringing,” LaHood says of lawmakers hearing from travelers. “Nobody likes a delay. Nobody likes waiting in line.”
LaHood says safety remains the department’s top priority. But because of staffing fewer air-traffic controllers, he says flights will be delayed and reduced.
“We don’t have to have this kind of calamity in air service in America,” LaHood said.