US agency says will delay planned closure of air traffic towers



WASHINGTON, April 5 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said on Friday that it will delay the planned closure of 149 air traffic control towers until June 15 in order to resolve multiple legal challenges.



The closures, which were due to begin as early as Sunday, were one of the most visible signs of the broad "sequester" budget cuts that kicked in on March 1.



Several airports that faced the loss of their federally funded air traffic controllers questioned whether the FAA had followed its own safety procedures.