Elon Musk is on the cusp of becoming the world’s first trillionaire, and his influence is still being felt across the U.S. government as DOGE officials remain in positions of power even after the tech mogul departed the White House.
Now, Musk has some new plans for one of his companies. If the plans go through, they could have massive unintended consequences for one of the country’s biggest tourist hotspots, Florida. Travelers could find their plans badly disrupted if the plan goes through.
There’s no guarantee yet that Musk’s plan will happen, as it is still under review by government officials. Still, it is worth paying attention to, as Musk still has profound political influence, and there’s a good chance that at some point, he will be able to take action.
Image source: Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
Musk plans that could cause airport chaos in Florida
According to Florida Today, Musk’s company, SpaceX, reportedly wants to substantially increase Starship launches and landings from Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Here’s what Musk is hoping to do:
- Up to 44 Starship-Super Heavy launches per year at Pad 39A.
- Up to 44 Super Heavy booster landings per year at Pad 39A, on a SpaceX drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean, or expending in the Atlantic Ocean.
- Up to 44 Starship landings per year at Pad 39A, on a SpaceX droneship in the Atlantic Ocean, or expending or landing for recovery in the Atlantic, Pacific or Indian oceans.
The FAA has warned, however, that this could significantly disrupt air travel. If Musk’s plan gains approval, these launches, reentries, and landings could create significant hazard zones.
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The result: Air travel would be massively disrupted. An FAA report on the impact of Musk’s plans stated:
“Starship reentries would impact air routes extending westward from KSC LC-39A over portions of the Pacific Ocean, Central America, Gulf of America, Caribbean Sea, Florida Peninsula, and Atlantic Ocean. AHAs may necessitate the closure of dozens of coastal and deep-water oceanic airways over the Pacific Ocean, Gulf of America, Caribbean Sea, and Atlantic Ocean, requiring significant aircraft rerouting to avoid the AHAs. Multiple airports may require departure stops due to the overlying AHA.”
FAA officials warn that airline flyers will pay the price for Musk’s plans
The FAA has warned about what Musk’s planned takeoffs and landings would mean for travelers.
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Specifically, the hazards that are created by the launches, the reentries, and the landings could create a significant disruption for air travelers. The affected airports could include, but aren’t limited to:
- Tampa International Airport
- Orlando International Airport
- Miami International Airport
- Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport
Here’s exactly how Musk’s plans could affect air travelers
According to the FAA, here’s what the travel disruptions could look like if Musk’s plan goes forward:
- Launches and Super Heavy booster landings: Could result in travel delays of around 40 minutes to two hours, impacting 133 to 400 commercial aircraft during peak daily travel periods.
- Starship reentries and landings could result in travel delays of around 40 minutes to one hour, impacting 400 to 600 commercial aircraft during peak daily travel periods.
Airline officials have expressed concerns
Airline officials have expressed serious concerns about what this plan could mean for air travelers. John Tiliacos, Chief Operating Officer at Tampa Airport, stated at a recent FAA meeting:
“There is the potential that there is going to be a significant impact to commercial aviation and the traveling public. And that’s something that certainly the FAA needs to give consideration to and, frankly, come up with a plan to mitigate that.”
While Tiliacos made clear he doesn’t have issues with the program, the impact on the public must be considered as the FAA makes its decision.
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