Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he will use authority given to him by Congress to allow air traffic controllers to continue working past the current mandatory retirement age of 56.
In an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, Duffy told host Kristen Welker that he has the power to issue exemptions to air traffic controllers (ATCs) that permit them to continue working until they turn 61. When Welker asked Duffy if he would use that power, he said he plans to.
“Oh, 100 percent,” he replied. “I’ve already told the union I’ll do that.”
A spokesperson for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) confirmed to The Hill that Duffy does have that authority.
“That authority has been in law for decades,” the spokesperson told the newspaper. “Through this process, air traffic controllers can apply for a waiver to continue working past age 56 and it does not change the mandatory retirement age of 56.”
Mounting Problems
Duffy’s comments on retirement age exemptions came amid a wider discussion about the reliability of the nation’s ATC system, which is showing signs of serious strain at Newark Liberty International Airport (KEWR) in New Jersey. By the time Duffy appeared on Meet the Press on Sunday morning, the airport had experienced a third ATC equipment outage, which triggered a 45-minute ground stop.
Newark has been operating on a reduced schedule since April 28, when the first outage left controllers with no radio or radar. This set off a wave of flight delays and cancelations, made worse by construction on one of the airport’s three runways used for commercial air traffic.
At the same time, the FAA facility overseeing Newark is stretched thin. The facility was understaffed before the outage on April 28, but after the first loss-of-contract incident, a significant number of controllers took a leave of absence for psychological help.
Duffy is currently leading a two-pronged charge to overhaul the country’s ATC system. The first component entails ramping up hiring for open air traffic controller positions and closing the roughly 3,000-person gap keeping FAA facilities short-staffed. The second is a sweeping modernization of ATC infrastructure, which involves building new towers and control centers and replacing outmoded equipment, some dating back to the 1970s, with new technology.
Duffy told NBC’s Welker that while problem spots like Newark will be prioritized, there is no quick remedy for the challenges facing the national ATC system.
“The problem is you can’t snap your fingers and fix it,” he said. “All of this is going to take time.”
