Airport officials across the country are urging Congress to come to terms on the deficit and end sequestration. 238 airports are in jeopardy of having their air traffic control towers closed because of the automatic spending cuts. Some of the airports on the list are in New York State, including the Greater Binghamton Airport and the Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport.
Contract towers, such as the Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport tower, could start closing around April 7th. The airport would remain open, but most of its flights would likely be controlled from the Elmira-Corning airport. Aviation officials in Elmira said that it wouldn't be an inconvenience.
A final list of tower closures will be issued on March 18th.
Also, airports such as Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse could potentially lose midnight shifts.
Aviation officials in the Southern Tier tell us that these changes will not have any impact on safety.
