The Federal Aviation
Administration is bracing for sweeping air
service reductions and anticipating flight delays should no deal be reached to
forestall automatic federal budget cuts set for March 1.
Those cuts include about $600
million from FAA's fiscal year 2013 expenditures. FAA on Friday indicated that
it was preparing to shutter as soon as April more than 100 air traffic control
facilities at small airports, cut overnight shifts at more than 60 additional airport
control towers, reduce "preventive maintenance and support for all air
traffic control equipment," and furlough through the end of the fiscal
year most of its 47,000 employees "for approximately one day per pay
period."
In the event of such measures,
"travelers should expect delays," according to a letter sent Friday
from Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and FAA administrator Michael Huerta
to such airline organizations as Airlines For America and the National Business
Aviation Association. "Flights to major cities like New York, Chicago and
San Francisco could experience delays of up to 90 minutes during peak hours
because we will have fewer controllers on staff."
President Barack Obama also
has warned of the impact on the aviation system. In remarks on Feb. 19, he said
automatic spending cuts would mean that "air traffic controllers and
airport security will see cutbacks, which means more delays at airports across
the country."
U.S. Travel president and CEO
Roger Dow feared cuts would extend further. "Travel has the very real
potential of becoming the face of the March 1 sequester cuts," according
to a statement Wednesday. "These across-the-board cuts may punish
travelers with flight delays, long security lines at Transportation Security
Agency checkpoints and multi-hour waits to clear Customs and Border
Protection."
Airlines For America senior
vice president of safety, security and operations Dan Elwell during a press
briefing Thursday shared a shred of optimism. "We urge and expect that
whatever happens will not significantly impact our air travel system," he
said. "It's too important."