FAA cuts back hours at more than 100 air traffic control towers

The Federal Aviation Administration is cutting back on hours at more than 100 air traffic control towers.

The move comes as fewer air traffic controllers are needed to watch the mostly empty skies over smaller airports.

The agency did not specify which towers would see reductions.

It said the changes would reduce hours at non-peak times and there will be no “operational effects” on the airports.

Airlines have stripped thousands of daily flights from their schedules and asked the FAA to waive requirements to make daily or weekly flights into some smaller airports.