The National Air Traffic Controllers Association says a congressional mandate in the FAA Reauthorization Act and the actions of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy should protect the FAA from what it termed a “failed approach to controller staffing” contained in the agency’s 2026-2028 Controller Workforce Plan released last week. That plan calls for cutting the maximum staffing target for controllers by almost 2,000 controllers to about 12,600 instead of the 14,500 the agency said it needed just two years ago. NATCA said it was surprised the FAA adopted the plan and said it was the implementation of a similar plan 12 years ago that led to the current staffing shortage. There are about 11,000 certified controllers.
The union said controller staffing and hiring sections of the FAA Reauthorization and Duffy’s demonstrated interest in maximizing the recruitment of new controllers “will serve as a backstop against an inaccurate Certified Professional Controllers staffing target.” The union was not included in the preparation of the staffing report, but it will be involved in the restoration of adequate staffing at air traffic control facilities. “NATCA will continue to work with Secretary Duffy, the Department of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration, Administrator Bedford, Congress, and industry stakeholders to ensure that America has the air traffic control staffing it needs and deserves as aviation continues to grow,” the agency said. NATCA’s full statement follows.
Duffy is a real duffer, another empty suit in an administration lacking real expertise throughout.
The hiring will continue until moral improves.
I very much favor NATCA, a union, representing controllers. You can clearly see who they have to deal with on the FAA side. However, and I hate to say this since I was an original member of NATCA, like all unions, NATCA is certainly representing themselves when discussions are in progress. So, if anyone ever gets together FAA/NATCA, a neutral party needs to monitor and bring the discussion back to reality and monitor what NATCA has in mind. It won’t necessarily be balanced (neither will FAA). More money or more time off can be negotiated at a different time through benefits or contract discussions. Let’s get the system fixed first. Unfortunately, I’m thinking most controllers on duty now will be retired before they actually see the system fixed.