The possible budget cuts known as the sequester would add to your air travel time, slowing down security lines and forcing planes to wait longer before takeoff, according to XNA's airport director.
From the Department of Homeland Security to the Federal Aviation Administration, governmental agencies involved in air travel are preparing for budget cuts.
"It has the potential to be ugly," says Kelly Johnson, Airport Director at the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport.
Agencies are considering employee furloughs and hiring freezes.
"That means less bodies to operate the system," Johnson says. "When you've got less people to operate the system and the flow doesn't slow down , something backs up somewhere, and that's what we anticipate will happen."
She doesn't expect major problems at XNA's security checkpoint.
"Not so much at our size facility, but trying to come back, from a Dallas or a Chicago or an Atlanta, you're going to look at longer lines," she says.
More troubling is the FAA proposal to close several air traffic control towers, including one in Fort Smith which handles approach control for the entire region, Johnson says.
"That helps the safety of the entire airspace that is Northwest Arkansas," she says. "It's a pretty busy little airspace for a little place."
Johnson says losing the tower will likely shift the workload to the already busy Memphis Air Route Traffic Control Center.
"The idea of fully loaded aircraft sitting on a ramp waiting for an overwhelmed center to provide a clearance isn't good for the traveler, the struggling airline industry, the environment or commerce," Johnson says.
So she's writing congressional leaders, hoping they can compromise to find a better way to save.
"I respectfully request that you reach out to our friends at the FAA and let them know how detrimental these tower closures may be," she says, reading from the letter sent Tuesday morning. "While the loss of jobs is important nothing is more important than the safety of the traveling public."
From the Department of Homeland Security to the Federal Aviation Administration, governmental agencies involved in air travel are preparing for budget cuts.
"It has the potential to be ugly," says Kelly Johnson, Airport Director at the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport.
Agencies are considering employee furloughs and hiring freezes.
"That means less bodies to operate the system," Johnson says. "When you've got less people to operate the system and the flow doesn't slow down , something backs up somewhere, and that's what we anticipate will happen."
She doesn't expect major problems at XNA's security checkpoint.
"Not so much at our size facility, but trying to come back, from a Dallas or a Chicago or an Atlanta, you're going to look at longer lines," she says.
More troubling is the FAA proposal to close several air traffic control towers, including one in Fort Smith which handles approach control for the entire region, Johnson says.
"That helps the safety of the entire airspace that is Northwest Arkansas," she says. "It's a pretty busy little airspace for a little place."
Johnson says losing the tower will likely shift the workload to the already busy Memphis Air Route Traffic Control Center.
"The idea of fully loaded aircraft sitting on a ramp waiting for an overwhelmed center to provide a clearance isn't good for the traveler, the struggling airline industry, the environment or commerce," Johnson says.
So she's writing congressional leaders, hoping they can compromise to find a better way to save.
"I respectfully request that you reach out to our friends at the FAA and let them know how detrimental these tower closures may be," she says, reading from the letter sent Tuesday morning. "While the loss of jobs is important nothing is more important than the safety of the traveling public."
Readers Feel...
hello
©1998 - 2013 Nwahomepage.com
Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc.
All Rights Reserved