Midair collision triggers alarm over US airport tower staffing shortage

A new analysis of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data has revealed that more than 90 per cent of airport terminal towers across the United States are understaffed, failing to meet staffing standards established by a working group that included the FAA and the controllers' union, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA).

Less than 10 per cent of the nation's airport towers have sufficient air traffic controllers to meet the staffing targets set for 2024, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

The targets were determined by a working group that analyzed the required number of fully-trained controllers to safely manage air traffic at airports. Only about 2% of airport towers met the staffing goals for fully-trained controllers, while approximately 8% met the targets when including controllers still in training.

The issue has gained increased attention following a midair collision on Wednesday night between an American Airlines flight and a Black Hawk Army helicopter near Reagan National Airport, which resulted in the tragic deaths of 67 people. At the time of the incident, sources told CBS News that only one air traffic controller was managing both the helicopters and other planes from the Reagan National Airport tower— a task typically handled by two controllers.

The FAA’s report attributes much of the staffing challenges to the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly disrupted the aviation industry and the agency’s ability to meet its staffing and training goals. “At the onset of the pandemic, in order to protect employees and ensure continuity of operations, certain activities were eliminated or significantly reduced at FAA's air traffic control facilities,” the FAA stated in its report. The agency also noted that on-the-job training for developmental controllers was greatly diminished during this period.

The staffing targets in question were established by a collaborative working group that included the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization and the NATCA. These goals are aimed at ensuring safety and operational efficiency at airport towers nationwide.

According to the FAA’s internal standards, which are more lenient than the working group’s targets, about 45% of airport towers met staffing requirements when considering only fully-trained controllers. When including controllers still in training, the figure increased to 59%.

Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, told CBS News that even if the FAA were to hire 2,000 new controllers immediately, it would take several years before a substantial number of them became fully certified to handle air traffic control duties.

The staffing shortage raises concerns about the ability of air traffic control facilities to handle increasing air traffic safely, particularly in light of the recent midair collision, which has intensified scrutiny of the FAA’s ability to meet its staffing goals and maintain safety standards at critical air traffic control hubs across the country.

By Vafa Guliyeva