Critical US air traffic controller facilities face serious staffing shortages, audit says
Critical U.S. air traffic control (ATC) facilities face staffing challenges and the Federal Aviation Administration "lacks a plan to address them," a government audit released on Friday found. The Transportation Department Office of Inspector General said the staffing issues pose risks to the continuity of air traffic operations. U.S. airlines are expecting record summer air travel and have urged more air traffic-control hiring. The report said the FAA has made limited efforts to ensure adequate controller staffing at the busiest air traffic control facilities, adding that 77% of critical ATC facilities are staffed below the FAA's 85% threshold. COVID-19 led to training pauses over a period of nearly two years, "significantly increasing controller certification times," the audit added. "Due to these uncertain training outcomes, FAA cannot ensure it will successfully train enough controllers in the short term." Managers told auditors facilities are not adequately staffed and many do not have enough supervisors. At several facilities, controllers are working mandatory overtime and six-day work weeks to cover staff shortages, the report found. Of the FAA's 13,300 total controllers, 26% are trainees. The FAA released a controller workforce plan in May and said in response it "fully understands that adequate staffing at its critical facilities helps ensure the safety and efficiency of the National Airspace System and is committed to getting to adequate staffing levels." Jacksonville Center overtime costs in 2022 exceeded prepandemic costs by 27%. The center in busy Florida has had 300 staffing triggers - events when workforce issues require reducing air traffic, the report said. The Transportation Department in May sought $117m to hire 1,800 air traffic controllers next year, in addition to 1,500 being hired this year. Many critical facilities have more trainees than average and it can take more than three years to train new controllers.<br/>Advertisement · Scroll to continue<br/>
https://portal.staralliance.com/cms/news/hot-topics/2023-06-26/general/critical-us-air-traffic-controller-facilities-face-serious-staffing-shortages-audit-says
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Critical US air traffic controller facilities face serious staffing shortages, audit says
Critical U.S. air traffic control (ATC) facilities face staffing challenges and the Federal Aviation Administration "lacks a plan to address them," a government audit released on Friday found. The Transportation Department Office of Inspector General said the staffing issues pose risks to the continuity of air traffic operations. U.S. airlines are expecting record summer air travel and have urged more air traffic-control hiring. The report said the FAA has made limited efforts to ensure adequate controller staffing at the busiest air traffic control facilities, adding that 77% of critical ATC facilities are staffed below the FAA's 85% threshold. COVID-19 led to training pauses over a period of nearly two years, "significantly increasing controller certification times," the audit added. "Due to these uncertain training outcomes, FAA cannot ensure it will successfully train enough controllers in the short term." Managers told auditors facilities are not adequately staffed and many do not have enough supervisors. At several facilities, controllers are working mandatory overtime and six-day work weeks to cover staff shortages, the report found. Of the FAA's 13,300 total controllers, 26% are trainees. The FAA released a controller workforce plan in May and said in response it "fully understands that adequate staffing at its critical facilities helps ensure the safety and efficiency of the National Airspace System and is committed to getting to adequate staffing levels." Jacksonville Center overtime costs in 2022 exceeded prepandemic costs by 27%. The center in busy Florida has had 300 staffing triggers - events when workforce issues require reducing air traffic, the report said. The Transportation Department in May sought $117m to hire 1,800 air traffic controllers next year, in addition to 1,500 being hired this year. Many critical facilities have more trainees than average and it can take more than three years to train new controllers.<br/>Advertisement · Scroll to continue<br/>
