WASHINGTON -- A change in Federal Aviation Administration rules potentially means fewer delays for travelers headed to Tampa International, Orlando International and other Florida airports from the northeast.
The FAA maintains an exclusion zone during space launches at Cape Canaveral that cuts right across one of the primary routes commercial flights use to get from northeastern cities to Orlando and Tampa airports among others. With private operators such as Space X putting more and more rockets into orbit, that means more and more flight delays. "When there is a space launch, we can see up to a third of our flights delayed, either departing or arriving," says Tampa International's Vice President of Airport Operations, John Tiliacos.
Now, the FAA says, after consulting with the Space Force and space launch operators, it's determined that the exclusion zone is too large. It's cutting the restricted area by almost half. The FAA says that will allow as many as three dozen flights with as many as 4,300 passengers to avoid delays during a typical launch.
Tiliacos says that's welcome news. "That's encouraging to hear... that there are new routings opening up that will (avoid delays)," Tiliacos said.
Listen to an interview with John Tiliacos below:
Photo: FAA