FAA chief says GOP cuts would lead to summer travel ‘havoc’
The Federal Aviation Administration’s acting administrator has warning of a summer of chaos the the GOP-run Congress pushes through aviation spending cuts.
In a letter to Congress Billy Nolen said budget cuts would ‘wreak havoc on summer air travel.’
The cuts could potentially furlough FAA workers and block the hiring of thousands more badly needed air traffic controllers.
The ATC ranks are already well short in regions such as the Northeast.
Any cuts would also stymie efforts to modernize FAA technology which is desperately needed.
It includes upgrading an alert system which failed in January causing a nationwide groundstop of all flights.
If passed, it could still be blocked in the Senate or as a last resort, vetoed by the White House.
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