Duffy: ATC Hiring Push Attracts 6,000 Applicants

Program ‘has been wildly successful’ in recruiting air traffic control trainees, transportation secretary says.

Jack Daleo

Saturday, April 18, 2026 at 08:00 AM ET

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Edited By:

Zach Vasile

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says 6,000 people have applied to become air traffic controllers since a new application went live on Friday. [Credit: U.S. Department of Transportation]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA is actively combating a chronic shortage of over 3,500 air traffic controllers through various recruitment strategies.
A new hiring initiative specifically targeting gamers has seen early "wildly successful" results, attracting 6,000 applicants on its opening day due to perceived transferable skills like multitasking and problem-solving.
Despite this initial success and other measures like bonuses and streamlined hiring, the FAA faces ongoing challenges, including a 30% attrition rate at its academy and a projected net gain that still falls short of its long-term staffing goals.

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U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Friday that the FAA’s latest air traffic control (ATC) hiring push—targeting gamers—is paying early dividends in addressing a chronic shortage of more than 3,500 controllers.

Speaking at the Semafor World Economy Summit in Washington, D.C., Duffy said 6,000 people have applied to become ATCs since the FAA opened a new hiring portal at midnight on Friday. The portal will close on April 27, or earlier if the number of applicants hits 8,000.