Airport officials protest impact of sequestration, shutdown on aviation

[cpzilliacus]

McClatchy DC: Airport officials protest impact of sequestration, shutdown on aviation

Amid rumors that a group of truckers would tie up the Capitol Beltway on Friday to protest Congress, a group of airport executives wisely chose the Capitol steps Thursday, rather than an airport runway, to make the same point.

On a cold, rainy day in Washington, members of the Airports Council International-North America and the American Association of Airport Executives said the aviation community had had enough of sequestration, or across the board spending cuts, and the partial government shutdown, as it stretched into its ninth day.

"Airports and our aviation system have bent under the continuous strain of these repeated crises, and we are on the verge of breaking," said Todd Hauptli, who leads the airport executive group's advocacy effort in Congress.