Sequester Cuts Could Impact Omaha Metro Airports - FOX 42: Omaha News, Sports and Weather; kptm.com |

Paul Gutierrez

OMAHA (KPTM) - The next time you catch a flight the friendly skies may not be so friendly.

Congress didn't do anything Thursday to stop $85 billion in spending cuts from kicking in tomorrow.  Far and wide the consequences could be felt at airports throughout the country.

"More people would probably not travel by air.  They probably would travel by car," said traveler Gene Hoelting.

That includes Eppley Airfield where the Federal Aviation Administration says overnight tower shifts could be eliminated.  That might mean delays or longer wait times in major cities, and that's not sitting well with a lot of people.

"It would be more than disappointing if it affected the safety of travel," said Nancy Wolf of Omaha. 

The impact wouldn't just be felt at big airports either.  The highly feared sequester cuts would be a devastating blow to smaller airports throughout the country.  At the Council Bluffs Municipal Airport, funding for future renovation projects would be on the line.

"There are a lot of airports competing for the same funding and we're in the hunt," said Executive Director Dan Smith.

In the meantime, he can only sit and wait like so many others while the government tries to come up with a solution.  Even some of the pilots at the airport wonder what's next.

"The airport, a lot of it was state-funded, so it's kind of unsure as to what will happen," said Andrew York.

The FAA says it's bracing for $600 million in cuts this year.  Changes would likely begin sometime in April if the government does nothing.