Transportation
Air tra c control tower sta ng falls short of ABIA passenger increases
Some context
The tower at ABIA is one of the most under- sta ed in the nation, operating at only 45% of its target sta ng level, Doggett said. Doggett said the air tra c control tower is down to just 27 of the 60 needed controllers. Tower controllers are assigned to airports based on sta ng needs and quali cations, rather than their preferred location, agency documents state. The FAA may o er incentives for control- lers willing to work in low-sta ed airports. According to the FAA’s Air Tra c Controller Workforce Plan 2025-2028, today’s challenges are linked to the current hiring pipeline. The plan cites three major events that weakened its ability to train new controllers: • The March 2013 government sequester, which imposed federal spending cuts • The 35-day government shutdown beginning in December 2018 • The COVID-19 pandemic These disruptions contribute to sta ng challenges that persist today, the report states, noting the high turnover rate for new trainees. According to the workforce plan, “academy attrition” is the single largest projected source of controller loss between 2024-28, accounting for 3,206 of the 6,872 total expected losses. More controllers are projected to be lost during training than from retirements, promotions and resignations combined. The agency launched a hiring campaign in late 2024 bringing on 2,026 new controllers, with plans to hire 8,900 total by 2028. Yet with 6,872 departures anticipated over that time, the net gain results in just over 2,000 controllers.
Flight delays can feel random but Austin’s tarmac backups are just the tip of a countrywide air tra c system under strain. The air tra c control tower at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is one of the most understa ed in the country, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett said, yet the problem isn’t unique to Austin, or even Texas. A history of disrupted training pipelines, high academy turnover and challenging qualifying standards have resulted in understa ed towers across the nation. As ABIA expands, o cials worry tower sta ng may not keep pace with growth—posing risks to safety and the region’s economy. Local near-miss incidents coupled with rising employee stress hint at an agency struggling to keep pace with demand, further revealing local delays are part of broader challenges across
U.S. air tra c control. The recent government shutdown also contributed to delays. Since late 2022, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport has seen six near-catastrophic events, per Federal Aviation Administration incident data. Just last October, an American Airlines jet carrying 122 passengers nearly collided with a single-engine Cessna plane—coming within 350 feet of each other. The reason most often reported is a shortage in air tra c controller sta ng. However, the reality includes a mix of tough working conditions, red tape and systemwide problems that go beyond a simple headcount, said Ashley Lane, a former ABIA air tra c controller of eight years, now a contracted instructor. “[Flying] is safe, but it’s not as safe as it could be,” Lane said.
Federal Aviation Administration sta ng at AUS tower Certi ed Professional Controller FAA established target tower sta ng X
CPC in training
60
20 10 30 40 50 60
42
38
0
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024 2025*
*THROUGH FEBRUARY
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