To lend a helping hand, The Smoking Gun restaurant and bar in the Gaslamp Quarter is providing free meals to San Diego air traffic controllers during the government shutdown.
“SoCal TRACON is the busiest facility in the world,” said Smoking Gun Owner-Operator Randy Wagener, who was once an air traffic controller. “And it’s really unfortunate to see these hard working people have to go without pay. We wanted to find a small way we could help them out during this time.”
Wagener and Executive Chef Andy Weiss will be delivering 120 meals to the controllers on Friday, Nov. 7. This is in partnership with Skrewball, which is funding the project. The Smoking Gun’s sister spot, Spill the Beans bagel and coffee, delivered bagels to air traffic controllers on Monday, October 20.
The air traffic controllers have been working without pay since the government shutdown on Oct. 1, and many across the country are calling in sick, causing delays at nearly every airport. The San Diego airport has experienced several delays due to staffing shortages.
Southern California TRACON (SCT) serves most airports in Southern California and guides about 2.2 million planes over roughly 9,000 square miles in a year, making our facility one of the busiest in the world. SCT, or SoCal TRACON as it is nicknamed, provides radar air traffic approach control services to all arriving and departing aircraft for most airports in Southern California. SCT’s airspace covers an area from 20 miles north of Burbank to the US/Mexican border and from San Bernardino to Santa Catalina Island. Airports receiving SCT services include Burbank Airport, John Wayne Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Long Beach Airport, March AFB, MCAS Miramar, NAS North Island, Ontario Airport, San Diego International Airport, Van Nuys Airport and many smaller airports that service general aviation.
The day after delivering the food, The Smoking Gun will be delivering a college game-like atmosphere to the San Diego Bama Fans as it hosts the local alumni’s game-watching party for the Alabama-LSU game. More than 200 people are expected for that watch party.
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