Shreveport Downtown Airport Tower Gets Reprieve

The control tower at Shreveport's Downtown Airport won't be closing Sunday after all.  

The Federal Aviation Administration has delayed the closing of that and 148 other towers at small airports around the country until June 15th.  The FAA says the additional time will allow the agency a better chance to try to resolve the many legal challenges that have been raised over the closure decisions.

The delayed action is seen as a positive step by Airport and City officials as well as by Louisiana's junior U.S. Senator.  Downtown Airport Manager Stacy Kuba said, "I am thrilled that we will be able to keep the control tower open at Shreveport Downtown Airport."  Mayor Cedric Glover said, "The FAA's decision to keep the Shreveport Downtown Airport control tower open is great news for our community."  "We know the necessary savings to keep the towers open exists," said Senator David Vitter, "and now we need to make sure this funding is reallocated so our airports like the Shreveport Downtown Airport aren't negatively affected."

The Shreveport Airport Authority says it costs over $400,000 each year to keep the Downtown Airport control tower operating.  And it says this additional time will give the Authority, the City, and our Congressional delegation the opportunity to further pursue other means of keeping the tower open.