FAA cuts control tower service to 100 US airports

The US FAA has reduced air traffic control services at 100 airports amid significantly less air traffic at secondary and tertiary US airports. Most of the airports affected cater to general and business aviation, but a few larger international airports, such as Mineta San Jose International airport and Tallahassee International airport are also affected, according to the FAA. The changes entail reduced operating hours rather than complete closures of tower facilities. “To ensure the continued resiliency of the air traffic control system amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the FAA is planning to temporarily adjust the operating hours of approximately 100 control towers nationwide,” the regulatory body writes in a note on 22 April. The changes will be implemented over the course of a week, beginning on 27 April.<br/>