AviationLawmaker wants the FAA to keep Midway control tower operating
Representative Dan Lipinski (D-Illinois) is not happy with the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) decision to add Midway Airport to the list of air ports whose air-traffic control towers are subject to closing during overnight hours because of the federal budget cuts.
Representative Dan Lipinski (D-Illinois) is not happy with the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) decision to add Midway Airport to the list of air ports whose air-traffic control towers are subject to closing during overnight hours because of the federal budget cuts.
The Chicago Tribune reports that Lipinski now wants to know why the airport was added to the list and has sent a letter to FAA administrator Michael Huerta expressing “strong opposition” to the closing.
Lipinski, who is a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Aviation Subcommittee, has also requested an assessment of the local and national impact of the closing.
“Given the importance of Midway to the region and our country, I strongly oppose the potential overnight closure of its air-traffic control tower,” Lipinski wrote. He urged the FAA to take a “closer look at the problems an overnight tower closure at Midway would cause.”
Southwest Airlines is the biggest carrier serving the airport, and it usually finishes its flight schedule to and from the airport by midnight, but at times operations run later.
Southwest did not respond to requests by the Tribune on as to whether it would operate at the airport without air-traffic control support. The Chicago Department of Aviation has not made a decision on whether it would shut down the tower for overnight operations if the tower is closed by the FAA
The FAA announced last week that it was delaying the closing of 149 control towers at air ports around the country until June. Most of the closings will take place at small airports, staffed by private contractors hired by the FAA. The closings were originally scheduled to begin last Sunday
Control tower employees at Midway Airport are FAA employees and members of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. The agency must give a one year notice to the union in order to implement contractual changed, but according to an FAA official, no negotiations have started as of today.
