• Over 90% of U.S. air traffic control facilities are operating below recommended staffing levels.
• Only 2% of towers met staffing standards set by FAA and controllers' union.
• The New York region shows the most significant staffing deficits, impacting major airports.
• Persistent shortages raise serious safety concerns, with numerous close calls reported.
• The recent collision at Reagan National emphasizes the urgent need for enhanced staffing.

Air traffic control facilities across the United States are facing significant staffing challenges, with more than 90% of the 313 facilities operating below the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) recommended levels. A recent analysis by the New York Times revealed that 285 facilities, which include both traffic control towers and terminal approach facilities, are understaffed. For 73 of those facilities, staffing is critically low, with at least a quarter of the workforce missing.

This crisis has garnered increased scrutiny following a fatal mid-air collision between an American Airlines flight and a military helicopter near Reagan National Airport, which led to the tragic deaths of 67 people. An analysis of the situation showed that at the time of the incident, only one controller was managing the operations of the tower, a job typically handled by two people. Such understaffing issues are not isolated; CBS News reported that only 2% of towers met the standards set forth by a working group, including the FAA and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), for fully trained controllers.

The New York region is said to have the most severe shortages, where crucial air traffic control facilities on Long Island are operating with nearly 40% of positions unfilled. These facilities manage traffic for some of the nation’s busiest airports, including Newark, J.F.K., and LaGuardia, collectively handling approximately 1.2 million flights last year, as outlined by the Times of India.

Despite the U.S. air travel system being one of the safest in the world, these persistent staffing shortages have led to an alarming number of close calls between aircraft over recent years. For instance, a 2023 report indicated over 50 incidents at Reagan National Airport alone where aircraft needed to take evasive actions against potential collisions, as highlighted in a Newsweek article.

The FAA's internal report stresses that staffing arrangements at Reagan National were not normal for that time and traffic volume, exacerbating safety concerns. Furthermore, the staffing crisis is expected to persist, as current hiring and training efforts are likely to fall short of the increasing demands necessary to maintain safety. Training a new controller can take upwards of four years, with Reagan National's program requiring around 16 months.

Yet, there is hope on the horizon. The FAA recently reported exceeding its hiring goals by bringing over 1,800 new controllers into the workforce during the last fiscal year, marking important progress in addressing this chronic staffing issue. Nonetheless, experts remain skeptical about the long-term viability of these initiatives amid ongoing safety challenges.

For more detailed data on the air traffic controller workforce, you can refer to the report by CNN.