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 Inspector General report found the FAA lacks a plan to address significant air traffic control (ATC) staffing shortages, threatening the continuity of operations.
Most critical ATC facilities (77%) are understaffed, leading to mandatory overtime, 6-day work weeks for controllers, and contributing to widespread flight delays.
The COVID-19 pandemic severely worsened the situation by suspending and reducing controller training, adding to ongoing challenges from retirements outpacing new hires.
While the FAA aims to hire more controllers, resolving the issue will take years, with the 2023 FAA Reauthorization Act attempting to lay groundwork to reverse the trend.

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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.”