The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that it has achieved its goal of hiring 1,500 air traffic controllers (ATCs) for the year. However, staffing challenges within the industry continue to impact travel, and safety concerns have been raised over near misses.
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Currently, the FAA has around 2,600 controllers at various levels of training, and the Transportation Department has requested $117 million to hire an additional 1,800 next year. More than 12,000 people applied earlier this year for the roles. The FAA has also taken steps to reduce runway incursion risks by holding safety meetings and awarding $121 million to airports to reconfigure taxiways and install new lighting systems.
Recently, there was an investigation into an August 11 near collision between a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 and a Cessna business jet in San Diego. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and FAA have been investigating this incident and seven other runway incursion events since January. The FAA has agreed to extend temporary cuts to minimum flight requirements at congested New York City-area airports and Washington National Airport through Oct. 28 due to ATC staffing issues. The Transportation Department Office of Inspector General (OIG) reported that critical ATC facilities face significant staffing challenges, which could impact the continuity of air traffic operations.
Currently, the FAA has 10,700 certified controllers, up slightly from 10,578 in 2022, according to the OIG report. This number is virtually the same as in 2021 and down 10% from 2012. The FAA closed its academy for six months in 2020 due to COVID-19 and paused on-the-job training at facilities for almost two years, which has contributed to the staffing challenges. Auditors found that many ATC facilities do not have enough supervisors, and controllers are working mandatory overtime and six-day work weeks to cover staff shortages. Of the FAA's total 13,300 controllers, 26% are trainees, according to the report. Last summer, there were 41,498 flights from New York airports where ATC staffing contributed to delays. The report found that New York Terminal Radar Approach Control staffing was at 54% compared with optimal levels.