Washington ( CNN ) -- Two days after a Federal Aviation Administration official told contractors that steps were being taken to shut down 168 air traffic control towers on April 1 , the agency gave the towers an unexpected reprieve Friday , saying the official 's comments were `` unauthorized . '' In a telephone conference call on Wednesday , an FAA official told contractors who operate the towers they would soon be receiving a letter giving notice that 168 towers would be closed on the first day of April because of government-wide spending cuts that were set in motion on Friday night . Another 16 towers would be closed on September 30 , the end of the fiscal year , the official said . But the news -- devastating to the three companies and hundreds of employees who staff the towers -- was short-lived . On Friday , the FAA arranged a second conference call , retracting without explanation the earlier call , according to Spencer Dickerson , head of the U.S. Control Tower Association . The contractors were told that the first call `` was not an authorized call , '' Dickerson said . But Dickerson questioned that . The Wednesday conference call `` was n't just some coffee break conversation at the water cooler , '' he said , saying it included FAA officials and representatives of all three contractors who operate FAA control towers in the United States . The move prolongs operation of the contract towers at least a couple of weeks , said Shane Cordes , head of Midwest ATC Service , who called the change `` good news . '' `` It is my understanding that we will hear official news from the FAA in the coming days and coming weeks , and until such time we wo n't have any definitive guidance on whether or not our towers will face closure , '' Cordes said . Said Dickerson , `` Quite frankly , I do n't think it changes the outcome . I think they 'll still be closing all these towers . It just may be on a different schedule . '' While the FAA has said it may have to close more than 100 control towers , it has given few specifics . It has released a list of towers on a list of potential closings , targeting those with fewer than 150,000 aircraft operations ( take-offs and landings ) or 10,000 commercial operations a year . Tower closures would not necessarily result in airport closures , because some aircraft can land without ATC help , and those that need controller help can communicate with more distant FAA facilities . Contract controllers are a widely used but little-known part of the FAA 's air traffic control system . About 250 of the nation 's 374 towers are staffed by contactors , though they must meet FAA standards and are overseen by FAA managers . Restricted to lower-volume airports , contract towers nonetheless handle 28 percent of all domestic airport operations . A 2011 report by the Department of Transportation 's Office of Inspector General said contract towers cost on average $ 537,000 a year to operate , compared to $ 2 million for comparably busy FAA-staffed towers . The lower costs were chiefly due to lower staffing and salary levels at contract towers . Contract towers had an average of six controllers , while FAA towers had 16 . And a typical contract controller near Tampa received a base pay of $ 56,000 per year compared to a base pay ranging from $ 63,000 to $ 85,000 a year for an FAA controller in Sarasota , Florida , the study said . Dickerson said contract towers are carrying the brunt of the cuts , despite having comparable safety records and being more cost efficient . But the forced government spending cuts , known as sequestration , are also impacting FAA staff . Most of the agency 's 47,000 workers , including its 14,700 controllers , have been told to expect one- or two-furlough days every two-week pay period . And 49 FAA-staffed towers are on the list of those facing possible closure .
Series of calls held with contractors over the impact of budget cuts on control towers . At issue are operations at 168 air traffic towers staffed by contractors . Forced , government-wide budget cuts are expected to impact FAA services .