St. Cloud airport tower closing April 21

Officials at St. Cloud Regional Airport hope funding will be restored next fiscal year to reopen the airport's air traffic control tower.

The tower will close April 21 as part of federal budget cuts announced Friday.

Meanwhile, the St. Cloud airport's only commercial carrier announced it will temporarily suspend its flights from St. Cloud to Arizona. Allegiant says it is suspending the flights from Aug. 14 to Oct. 9.

Airport Director Bill Towle told the St. Cloud Times he doesn't think the tower closure would have much impact on whether Allegiant resumes its flights later this year.

Towle says he has not heard from the Federal Aviation Administration when or whether the control tower would reopen.

In Minnesota, the tower at Anoka County-Blaine Airport also is slated for closure.

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