Santa Monica Airport Control Tower Avoids Closure

The air traffic control tower at the Santa Monica Airport was spared in a round of closures announced Friday by the Federal Aviation Administration.

In early March, the FAA proposed to close nearly 200 towers—including the structure at SMO—as part of its plan to meet the $637 million in cuts required under budget sequestration.

While the SMO tower will remain open, others across the Southland are scheduled to close April 7, including those at Whiteman Airport in Pacoima, Fullerton Municipal Airport, Riverside Municipal Airport, Brown Field in San Diego and Ramona Airport in San Diego County.

"We heard from communities across the country about the importance of their towers and these were very tough decisions,” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement.

SMO, which handled about 370 flights a day last year, including by helicopters, prop planes and jets will be considered in a later round of cuts.

The Southland closures are among 149 federal contract towers nationwide expected to close within a four-week period.

The FAA said in March it would consider keeping open any towers that serve "the national interest." It said it considered whether closures would have a "significant, adverse economic impact" that is beyond the local community.

— City News Service contributed to this report.