The Air traffic controller shortage will continue to lead to travel disruptions not only next year, but also for at least the next five years, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told CNN.
According to him, the flight system is suffering, mentioning the 3,000-person controller shortage, VisaGuide.World reports.
”It will take five to seven years [of hiring] to break even if all goes well. Do we need five to seven years of further disruption on a daily basis? I don’t think so.” Airlines for America chief Nick Calio pointed out at the Global Aerospace Summit held by the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington, DC.
In addition, he added that even though the Federal Aviation Administration hired the highest possible number of controllers capable of advancing through its single certification academy, it is not going to be enough for a recovery in any short time.
Calio proposed permitting universities with air traffic controller programs to provide the certification courses while stressing that other countries do.
Earlier this year, the FAA urged airlines to dial back summer flights by ten per cent at airports such as Newark, John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia. Last month, the FAA prolonged the policy into October.
CEO of JetBlue, Robin Hayes, told CNN that more advance warning related to FAA’s plans would further help the airline shift its resources in order to operate at other airports. In addition, he noted that a reduction of ten percent might not be enough.
Hayes together with United Airlines’ Scott Kirby stressed that the controller shortage is especially noted when airlines try to recover from weather disruptions.
“The same weather that in the past we could have managed through now can cause hundreds of delays, or hundreds of even cancelations,” Kirby pointed out.
US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg previously warned that the air traffic controller shortage in the US could worsen over a potential government shutdown.
He said that the country is experiencing a situation where the funding for the federal government is due to expire at the end of this month, resulting in the cessation of non-essential government roles from October 1st.
Buttigieg said that a government shutdown would halt the US in their tracks when it comes to hiring and increasing the ATC workforce at the wrong moment.
According to the FAA, new controllers require long as well as extensive training, while noting that at present 2,600 controllers are being trained.