ILM Airport faces double trouble: Water main break and domino effect from FAA cuts

4 hours ago

Kamy Smelser,

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY-TV) – There are 40 major airports nationwide bracing for air traffic control cuts. While the Wilmington International Airport is not on that list, it will see impacts.

Complicating matters, the airport was without water for much of the day after a major water main break.

Airport Director, Jeff Bourke said the problem was responded to quickly.

“The ILM team was manually flushing toilets with water from 5 gallon buckets, we had several pallets of water brought up to the general public so they could have water and restaurants were providing food the best they could under those conditions,” Bourke said.

For three hours the airport was without running water until crews repaired the water line around 1 p.m.
Now the airport is dealing with new flowing in from Washington after the FAA announced a 10% cut of air space traffic due to the government shutdown.

Bourke said there will be a domino effect.

“Of course if there are delays in those airports they tend to flow to ours, so if we have a flight that’s departing into Charlotte from ILM that flight may be delayed, then you flight from Charlotte to wherever it is you may be going might be delayed,” Bourke said.

While air traffic controllers nationwide have gone weeks without a pay check. Bourke said the ILM team remains strong.

“Here at ILM they’ve been great we’ve had very few sick outs, they’ve been showing up coming to work they’ve been doing a great job despite the fact that they aren’t getting paid,” Bourke said.

Without continued airport construction and now potential flight delays, Bourke advises travelers to stay informed.

“Check with your airline before you travel see if there’s any delays for you specifically, but don’t panic, come down to the airport, get your flight,” Bourke said.

As a busy travel season looms with the Thanksgiving holiday, North Carolina travel advisor Mallory Dummond said travelers should keep longer lines in mind.

“Arriving early to the airport, even earlier than you normally would for a domestic flight normally we recommend 2 hours before departure for domestic air and 3 hours for international flights,” Dummond said.