Thursday, May 23, 2024 Airlines for America (A4A), the primary trade group for major U.S. airlines, has initiated a vigorous campaign called “Staff the Towers” aimed at prompting immediate action from the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to resolve the critical shortage of air traffic controllers (ATC) in the country.
This comprehensive campaign will utilize various platforms including a dedicated website, blog posts, newsletters, and social media to communicate its message. Recent data from the FAA’s Controller Workforce Plan indicates a deficit of 3,000 controllers, and the FAA reauthorization law of 2024 mandates the agency to maximize recruitment efforts and revise its outdated staffing model from 2014. “We have been sounding the alarm on this issue for more than a year that our nation’s air traffic control radar facilities are understaffed and overworked,” A4A President and CEO Nicholas E.
Calio said. “It’s past time Secretary Buttigieg and Administrator Whitaker take action to solve this crisis and increase staffing.” Over the past fiscal year, the FAA succeeded in certifying only six new controllers.
This shortage has significant repercussions, including flight delays and cancellations which are not the fault of the airlines but affect passengers negatively. As a result, airlines have been forced to scale back their flight schedules in the New York Metropolitan area to manage the reduced ATC capacity, li.
