Charleston airport doesn’t expect effects from federal budget cuts

Charleston International Airport does not anticipate any interruption of air carrier service because of the looming federal budget cuts set to take effect on Friday, according to airport spokeswoman Becky Beaman.

Charleston airport is on a Federal Aviation Administration list of air traffic control centers that could be affected, with overnight shifts eliminated, but for now the airport is using a wait-and-see approach.

Airport staff is keeping close contact with federal officials and will take action if it is required, Beaman said.

Federal officials have warned that the $85 billion in domestic and military spending set to take effect on Friday could cause flights delays and possibly close smaller airports.

The Federal Aviation Administration is expecting more than $600 million in cuts, resulting in furloughs and possible closing of air traffic control towers at 100 airports that have fewer than 150,000 flight operations per year. Hilton Head is among those smaller airports.

Furloughs would start taking effect in April unless Congress acts to avert the mandatory spending cuts.