So far, about 20 airlines at LAX use the text system, including Southwest, United and Delta airlines. The system will also reduce cut down on wait times, said Jesse Wijntjes, a program director for the Data Comm program, which is administered by the Federal Aviation Administration. The federal government has budgeted about $750 million to equip air control towers with the new technology, Wijntjes said. Planes that received flight plan information via a new texting system at Los Angeles International Airport shaved six to 12 minutes off their departure times since the system went into place in March, authorities said Friday. And nearly 30 airports in the nation, including John Wayne, Burbank, Long Beach and Ontario, use it, authorities said.

Source: Los Angeles Times June 25, 2016 00:22 UTC