Montana News

Sequestration could shut down Glacier Airport control tower

Posted: Feb 22, 2013 4:57 PM by Dax VanFossen - MTN News

KALISPELL - One of the airports that could face cuts after federal sequestration is Glacier Park International Airport in Kalispell.

If the cuts go through, the airport's tower may close, but the airport itself would still run, said Airport Director Cindy Martin.

Martin says her office has been in touch with the FAA and is aware that these types of cuts could be a reality. But, she says, if cuts are made at Glacier, they will most likely be the same cuts made at hundreds of other airports around the country.

"It is not the closure of the airport. The airport will continue to operate," Martin said. "It is the closure of our air traffic control tower, which is a level one contract tower under the federal system. We would be one of over 100 towers across the country that would be closed. And over a hundred others that would be impacted with staffing. This is certainly going to have an effect on air travel nationwide. No doubt about that."

Martin did stress that none of these proposals are set in stone yet, and Congress still has the power to allocate money to fix the issue. Most GPIA air control already happens in Salt Lake City.