Because of the reduction of traffic associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says it plans to reduce the operating hours of about 100 air traffic control towers nationwide.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the FAA said the adjusted hours, which will take effect on an unspecified date later this month, would enable “continued safe operations throughout the National Airspace System while minimizing health risks to our workforce.”
The affected towers have experienced a “significant reduction” in flights, many of which have been canceled because of the pandemic, especially during the evening and at night, the FAA said. Many of the towers already are closed overnight, and during those periods, the radar facility with oversight of the area takes over in that airspace. The same arrangement will prevail under the new closure times, the FAA said.
The FAA said the adjusted h…
