However, understaffing at critical ATC facilities has also played a role in many flight delays and cancellations.Īccording to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data, in 2011, there were over 11,750 fully certified controllers (CPCs) and additional trainees yielding over 15,000 total controllers onboard. I recognize that these operational challenges have multifaceted causes, including airline staffing shortages largely resulting from the pandemic and particularly severe weather events this summer. During that same period, nearly 483,000 US flights were delayed, or roughly 24 percent of flights. That figure represents 2.3 percent of the flights scheduled. According to data from flight tracking site FlightAware, 48,000 US flights were canceled between May 27, the Friday before Memorial Day, and August 14. I write to urge you to implement key transparency measures in order to strengthen America’s air traffic control (ATC) workforce and bolster resiliency in the National Airspace System (NAS).Īs you know, air travel this summer has been significantly disrupted by flight cancellations and delays. Read the Senator’s full letter here or below: Shaheen continued, “ Including these details in the FAA’s annual Controller Workforce Plan would better inform Congress by providing greater transparency and it would assist us in addressing the staffing shortages at various ATC facilities across the country.” I believe FAA should report these data as part of its annual report to Congress on ATC staffing.” FAA and the workforce representatives should collaborate to set trainee targets in order to achieve and maintain the CPC targets in light of anticipated attrition. In addition, FAA should work collaboratively with representatives of the controller workforce to regularly update CPC operational staffing targets for each ATC facility to ensure safe and efficient operation. Senator Shaheen wrote, in part, “Addressing staffing challenges across the National Airspace System requires a fully transparent assessment of facility staffing levels, including data on attrition and anticipated attrition. Among other recommendations, she urged for data on attrition, as well as transparency around staffing and trainee targets, to be included in the FAA’s Controller Workforce Plan, which is submitted to Congress annually. In her letter, Shaheen urged the implementation of transparency measures to address staffing shortages of fully certified controllers (CPCs) to strengthen America’s air traffic control (ATC) workforce and bolster resiliency in the National Airspace System (NAS). Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) sent a letter to Billy Nolen, acting Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in light of recent flight cancellations and delays that have impacted millions of travelers across New England.
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