COLUMBUS/TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) -- The Federal Aviation Administration has given 173 small-to-medium size airports notice their air-traffic control personnel will be cut by April 7.
Another 16 control towers would end operations by September 30.
FAA officials announced the cuts on Tuesday as the result of sequestration.
The federal agency has given airports until March 13 to appeal the decision and show it is in the "national interest" to keep them open.
Golden Triangle Regional Airport Director Mike Hainsey says the cuts would affect four air-traffic controllers assigned to the tower at his airport.
He says losing the controllers would not impact commercial or general aviation flights out of the facility.
Hainsey says Columbus Air Force Base is using GTR to house 13 training aircraft while a runway improvement project is underway.
Without control tower staff, those planes could not use the airport.
He says the tower opened in 2003 and is owned by GTR.
Hainsey says the airport is working on a plan to possibly pay for the staff themselves, but he says that would cost nearly $30,000 per month.
The money would come from existing fees and revenue generated at the airport.
Tupelo Airport Authority Executive Director Josh Abramson says he doesn't think the appeal will be enough to maintain staffing at his control tower.
Towers in Greenville, Meridian, Bay St. Louis, Olive Branch, and Hawkins Field in Jackson are among those where staffing would be cut.
