JetBlue warns of possible air traffic control flight disruptions this winter

JetBlue Airways is finally coming back from its operational missteps this spring that forced deep cuts to its summer schedule. But that recovery may hit turbulence this winter as air traffic control issues remain a top concern for the airline. Joanna Geraghty, president of the New York-based carrier, repeatedly cited air traffic control “constraints,” including “staffing headwinds,” as operational concerns this winter and into 2023. Speaking during JetBlue’s Q3 earnings call on Tuesday, she said the situation has forced the airline to maintain an elevated number of pilots in “reserve” — or on call — in the event of delays. “The [air traffic control] environment remains fragile,” Geraghty said, even as she thanked the US FAA, which manages air traffic control, for its transparency on the situation. Concerns with US air traffic control staffing came to the fore this spring. That’s when a shortage at the FAA’s center in Jacksonville, Fla., prompted delays and cancellations to thousands of Florida bound flights. Executives at JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, and Spirit Airlines all cited the issues in April. And by the summer, air traffic control staffing was widely cited as contributing to airline operational issues in Florida and the northeast. FAA officials have broadly denied that air traffic control has a major contributor to airline flight delays and cancellations in the US this year. However, the agency has acknowledged staffing issues in Florida and the northeast.<br/>