US will temporarily shrink operating hours at 100 air traffic towers

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said Wednesday it will reduce operating hours at about 100 air traffic control towers nationwide in the face of dramatically lower airplane volumes because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Air traffic has fallen dramatically, with US passenger volumes down by 95% or more amid the coronavirus pandemic. The revisions to operating hours will not impact the nation's busiest 30 airports.

The FAA said the changes will minimize "health risks to our workforce. These facilities have seen a significant reduction in flights, especially during the evening and night-time hours, since the pandemic began."

Most of the towers impacted have historically been closed at night and the FAA said it expected "the adjustments will not have any operational effects."

The towers impacted could be disclosed as early as later this week and the changes will take effect this month. Many airlines have reduced operating hours and eliminated early morning and what were their latest flights of the day at many airports.

Over the last month, the FAA has had to temporarily close air traffic facilities and airspace across the country to address coronavirus cases and to clean facilities. Temporary closures of towers at Chicago Midway and Las Vegas airports last month forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights.