FAA Statement (Attributable to Administrator Marion C. Blakey) Regarding DOT Inspector General's Report on Contract Tower Safety and Operational Costs:

The Inspector General’s recent report confirms the contract tower program continues to serve the flying public safely and efficiently as it has for more than two decades. 

The report’s findings make it clear that safety is not an issue. In fact, contract towers have a significantly better safety record than comparable FAA towers. Contract towers also cost significantly less than federally-staffed ones and provide substantial savings to taxpayers -— $173 million to be exact, according to the IG’s report. 

The report refutes most of the rhetoric and reveals recent charges regarding the contract tower program to be wholly without merit. The FAA believes it is highly irresponsible to jeopardize legislation that provides critical funding for our entire aviation system, in an attempt to add thousands of new employees to the federal payroll.

Note: The next day [Friday], that statement was corrected to read:

The Inspector General’s new report, requested by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, confirms the contract tower program continues to serve the flying public safely and efficiently as it has for more than two decades. 

The report’s findings make it clear that contract towers have a very strong safety record. At the same time, they also cost significantly less than federally staffed towers and provide substantial savings to taxpayers—$173 million to be exact, according to the IG’s report. 

The report proves that recent charges regarding the contract tower program are wholly without merit. The FAA believes it is highly irresponsible to jeopardize legislation that provides critical funding for our entire aviation system in an attempt to add thousands of new employees to the federal payroll.

FMI: www.faa.gov