Watchdog Report: FAA ‘Lacks a Plan’ to Address ATC Shortages

More than three out of four critical air traffic control facilities are staffed below the agency’s threshold, according to the DOT inspector general.

Amelia Walsh

Monday, June 26, 2023 at 02:38 PM ET

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According to the DOT Inspector General report, 77 percent of critical facilities are staffed below the agency’s 85 percent threshold, with New York Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) at 54 percent. [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

A Department of Transportation report indicates the FAA lacks a comprehensive plan to address critical air traffic control (ATC) staffing shortages, posing a risk to continuous air traffic operations.
Most critical ATC facilities are understaffed, leading to controllers working mandatory overtime and six-day weeks, which significantly contributes to national flight delays.
The staffing crisis is exacerbated by training backlogs from the COVID-19 pandemic and retirements outpacing new hires, despite increased air travel demand.
While the FAA aims to hire thousands of controllers, full recovery is expected to take years, with the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2023 seen as a potential long-term solution.

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A new report released by the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General found the FAA “lacks a plan” to address air traffic control staffing shortages.

The report released Wednesday notes staffing and training for ATC controllers has remained a challenge for the FAA, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The report found the “FAA has made limited efforts to ensure adequate controller staffing at critical air traffic control facilities,” and its “lack of a plan” to address such shortages “poses a risk to the continuity of air traffic operations.”