Latest news with #NATCA
New York Post
15-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Air traffic controller union is … out of control
As the air traffic control crisis drags on, putting lives in danger and snarling logistics at key travel hubs, a new villain has emerged: the controllers union. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy came up with a smart, fast fix to the immediate staffing crisis (which brings serious safety concerns as well as delayed/cancelled flight chaos): keep senior controllers working a bit longer. He'd offer cash bonuses to controllers below the mandatory retirement age of 56 to keep them on the job, and maybe work out waivers so some could serve past 56 until turning 61. Advertisement (He has other, longer-term plans as well, including moving fast to address the aging-equipment mess left behind by his Biden-era predecessor, Pete Buttigieg.) Extra pay for crucial work, on a totally voluntary basis with an eye to ending a terrible and worsening problem: Who could have a problem with that? Why, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association: The union hates the idea, and has voted to punish any controller who signs a waiver with a seniority cap (i.e., you stop accruing seniority the day you take Duffy's offer). Advertisement The union's rationale: 'Each waiver puts early retirement at risk by showing the Agency [the FAA] and Congress that mandatory retirement is unnecessary.' That is, a policy that plays a crucial role in driving controller shortages might be 'unnecessary,' and NATCA doesn't want that fact exposed: It would rather the crisis continue. And the union has the chutzpah to state this publicly. Advertisement Looks like President Ronald Reagan didn't go far enough after smashing PATCO, the original controllers union: He should've salted the earth rather than let NATCA form. Via NATCA, todays controllers are acting neither in the best interests of the taxpayers who cover their salaries nor the air travellers whose safety they are responsible for. Duffy and the president need to hit back twice as hard, before this crisis spirals fully out of control.
New York Post
14-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Air traffic controllers' union throws wrench in Sean Duffy's bid to boost hiring: sources
WASHINGTON — The top union for air traffic controllers is hampering Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's plans to boost hiring by penalizing those who want to work beyond retirement age, The Post has learned. Duffy is offering cash bonuses of up to 20% of annual salaries for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic controllers eligible to retire but younger than the mandatory age of 56 — and hoping to retain even more through through the age of 61 via exemption waivers. 'They're fantastic, they're great at their jobs, they get to an eligible point of retirement and they take that retirement,' Duffy, 53, told reporters May 1. 6 The top union for air traffic controllers could be throwing a wrench into Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's plans to boost hiring by penalizing those who want to work beyond their retirement age, The Post has learned. Getty Images 'Why don't we try to incentivize those really well-experienced air traffic controllers? Let's incentivize them to stay. Let's get them to stay on. Not only do we have that experience, but they can also help train up those younger, newer controllers coming into their family.' But the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) has undercut the planned staffing blitz by threatening to punish any members who use waivers, according to sources familiar with the effort. A union amendment reviewed by The Post and apparently agreed to by two-thirds of its members earlier this month will cap controller seniority on the date they start using a waiver. 6 A union amendment reviewed by The Post and apparently agreed to by two-thirds of its members earlier this month will cap their seniority on the date at which they start using a waiver. Rob – 'Each waiver puts early retirement at risk by showing the Agency [FAA] and Congress that mandatory retirement is unnecessary,' stated the amendment, which is expected to take effect in October. 'Waivers do nothing to benefit NATCA,' it added. 'Early retirement is a privilege that we earn by working one of the most stressful jobs in history.' 'NATCA is fully committed to working with Secretary Duffy, the Department of Transportation, and the Federal Aviation Administration to ensure the national airspace system is staffed with the best and brightest air traffic controllers,' a union rep told The Post Wednesday evening. 'We continue to support Secretary Duffy's plan to supercharge staffing and modernize the air traffic control system. NATCA remains in alignment with Secretary Duffy's plan and the department's priorities.' 6 Nick Daniels heads up the air traffic controllers' union that has undercut Duffy's hiring spree. Getty Images 'The secretary is disappointed in the decision to unfairly penalize experienced controllers,' said a DOT spokesperson. 'It's critical that we retain the best and brightest because America needs more controllers — not less. We would hope that NATCA will work with us on behalf of the American people.' Air traffic controllers are able to apply for the waivers subject to FAA approval, so long as they maintain certain standards such as medical checks. 6 Air traffic controllers are able to apply for the waivers subject to approval by the FAA so long as they maintain certain standards such as medical checks. REUTERS While NACTA isn't supposed to be involved in the hiring process, it is able to determine the seniority of its members, which determines eligibility for various benefits. Both the FAA and NATCA then work together to staff air traffic control facilities and schedule shifts. Many air traffic controllers retire after serving 25 years, often before the mandatory 56-year threshold is reached. 6 There are more than 10,000 air traffic controllers nationwide, and the FAA is currently 3,000 or so shy of its staffing goals. Getty Images In March, President Trump issued an executive order that allowed Duffy 'maximum flexibility' to exempt the FAA from federal labor relations laws in managing any overseas 'installation or activity.' Duffy reached an agreement with NACTA earlier this month offering the bonus incentive to cut down on attrition. New York Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON), which supervises the most heavily trafficked airports in the country, and Philadelphia TRACON, which oversees Newark Liberty International Airport's airspace, have both suffered 'persistent low staffing levels and low training success rate[s],' according to the FAA. 6 New York Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON), which supervises the most heavily trafficked airports in the country, has suffered 'persistent low staffing levels and low training success rate[s],' according to the FAA. Getty Images 'What I've done, I said, 'Hey, listen. These are the best controllers we have in the airspace. Let's give them a bonus. I'm going to give them a 20% upfront bonus to stay on the job. Don't retire. Keep serving your country,'' Duffy told NBC News' 'Meet the Press' May 11. 'And these are the best guys.' 'First and foremost, we do not believe this is an effective solution to addressing the chronic air traffic controller (ATC) staffing crisis,' the union said in February in response to Duffy's pledge to incentivize members staying beyond their retirement age. 'The solution to the ATC staffing crisis is a long-term commitment to hiring and training.' That package included $5,000 bonuses for air traffic control academy graduates who finish initial qualification training, another $5,000 for new hires who do the same and a $10,000 bonus for grads who work at one of 13 'hard-to-staff' air traffic control facilities. Nearly two-thirds of recruits at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma wash out, but those who make it — as well as others who train with the US military or at other credible colleges — would be able to take the cash incentives. There are more than 10,000 air traffic controllers nationwide, and the FAA is currently 3,000 or so shy of its staffing goals. FAA Air Traffic Organization deputy COO Franklin McIntosh told a congressional hearing Wednesday the agency expected to hire another 2,000 controllers by the end of 2025, meaning understaffing will remain a problem for another year or more. Another former FAA official told The Post Wednesday that staffing is expected to 'get better' in the next couple weeks at the critical New York- and Philadelphia-based TRACONs due to planned telecommunications updates announced by Duffy last week.
Epoch Times
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Duffy Calls for Probe Into Biden Admin's Moving Newark Air Traffic Communications to Philadelphia
The Department of Transportation will request an investigation into the Biden administration's decision last year to move the telecommunications system that handles Newark's air traffic from New York to Philadelphia, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on May 12. While speaking at a Monday press conference with Chris Rocheleau, acting administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Duffy said the recent air traffic control equipment outages at Newark Liberty International Airport were due to a decision made in July 2024 by the Biden administration. At the time, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg decided to reassign control of the Newark-area airspace sector from New York's Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) to the Philadelphia TRACON. The FAA previously defended the move as an attempt to alleviate short staffing at the New York facility. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), a labor union representing America's air traffic controllers, On Monday, Duffy said that the decision was particularly dangerous because the Philadelphia TRACON has to be fed data from New York through old, copper data lines, which were already vulnerable. The NATCA mentioned this risk last year, Related Stories 5/8/2025 5/11/2025 Duffy described it as adding 'more risk to the system' without 'addressing the underlying infrastructure.' So far, he said the FAA has implemented a software patch to fix the problem that led to the three communications failures at Newark airport over the last two weeks. The first incident took place on April 28 when air traffic control lost all contact with planes for 30 seconds, causing some controllers to take trauma leave. Two additional incidents occurred on May 9 and Since then, the FAA has slowed traffic in and out of Newark until it can ensure safety, Rocheleau said at the press conference. For now, the agency is only allowing 24 to 28 departures and arrivals per hour at Liberty, he added. In addition to the software patch, Duffy said the FAA has already replaced copper communication lines with fiber optics at Newark, John F. Kennedy International Airport, and LaGuardia Airport, but that subsequent testing will likely take up to two weeks before the FAA can 'flip the switch and make them live.' The secretary said he huddled with data contractor Verizon to add three new telecommunication connections between New York and Philadelphia to 'provide more high-speed reliability and redundancy.' Duffy's also going to request an Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigation on the Biden administration's decision to move the control of the Newark and New York-area airspace to the Philadelphia TRACON, which he blamed for the three air traffic control equipment failures over the two-week span. 'There were issues in October and November under Biden and Buttigieg that would have highlighted to the prior administration that the underlying hardware would continue to cause problems,' Duffy said. 'That, along with their overall neglect of our whole aviation system, and the aging issues that we've highlighted over the course of the last several weeks, were clear mistakes of their administration.' The secretary is also hosting a delay reduction meeting on May 14 with the FAA and all airlines that service Newark to make the ongoing traffic reductions more efficient for travelers. 'Families shouldn't have to wait four or five hours for a flight that never takes off. By lowering the number of flights, we can ensure the ones that are kept do actually take off, and they do actually land,' Duffy said. Rocheleau said the FAA has initiated an emergency task force composed of industry experts, FAA experts, and representatives from Verizon and the L3Harris Corporation, an information technology defense contractor, to make sure travel is safe in and out of Newark. That task force will be involved in Wednesday's meeting, the acting administrator said. 'We're working with the airlines and the airport, the Port Authority of New York [and] New Jersey, to make sure that the travel into Newark this summer is safe,' Rocheleau said. Duffy emphasized that since multiple airports and control towers need immediate safety upgrades, the Transportation Department and FAA will likely 'have to do more than one location at a time.' 'But ... priority number one is going to be Newark,' he said.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Yahoo
Mother's Day mayhem as ground stops issued at Newark and Atlanta airports
Ground stops issued at Newark Liberty International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Sunday are impacting passengers if they were traveling into or out of two of the largest airports in the country on Mother's Day weekend. The ground stop at Atlanta's airport was issued Sunday morning and remained in effect until noon, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, who said it was a result of "a runway equipment issue." The administration temporarily slowed arrivals to the airport, it said in a statement. "Technicians are working to address the problem," the FAA said. Over 530 flights flying into and out of the airport have been delayed as of Sunday afternoon, according to Three have been canceled. At Newark Airport in New Jersey, a ground stop issued at 8:15 a.m. has since been lifted, according to the FAA, in the latest in a series of issues that have plagued the airport over the last few weeks. 'The FAA briefly slowed aircraft in and out of the airport while we ensured redundancies were working as designed. Operations have returned to normal,' the FAA said in a statement on X. The FAA did not elaborate on why the ground stop was issued, but said there was a telecommunications issue at Philadelphia TRACON Area C, a traffic control facility that guides flights in and out of Newark. The facility's backup system worked as it was intended, but the FAA said slowed traffic to make sure it remained stable. The Philadelphia TRACON previously had an outage on April 28, which was the catalyst for major delays at the travel hub. Newark airport said the ground stop was due to 'FAA equipment outages' and has since been lifted. During last month's outage, air traffic controllers in TRACON Area C lost communication with aircraft traveling to and from the airport, making them unable to see, hear or talk to them, according to the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA). It's not clear what caused the communication loss, or how long the air traffic controllers lost communication with the aircraft. The event led the air traffic controllers to take leave under the Federal Employees' Compensation Act, which covers federal employees who are physically injured or experience traumatic events on the job, according to NATCA, a union that represents around 20,000 aviation professionals. Since the incident, delays and cancellations of flights traveling into and out of Newark airport have been constant. Airlines, including United, have had to cancel hundreds of flights, and dozens of others have been diverted to other airports. Many issues contributed to the disruptions, including understaffing, construction and several instances of technical equipment failure. In an exclusive interview with 'Meet the Press,' Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he is concerned about the whole of U.S. airspace after recent outages at Newark, adding that telecommunications issues and glitches in software are to blame. 'Now I think the lights are blinking, the sirens are turning, and they're saying, 'Listen, we have to fix this,'' he said. 'Because what you see in Newark is going to happen in other places across the country. It has to be fixed.' Duffy said he believes they'll have Newark airport 'up and running in short order.' Over 150 flights traveling to and from Newark were delayed, and more than 80 were canceled as of Sunday afternoon, according to This article was originally published on
NBC News
11-05-2025
- NBC News
Ground stop briefly issued at Newark airport after weeks of travel chaos
A ground stop at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey was lifted Sunday after being issued earlier in the morning, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, in the latest in a series of issues that have plagued the airport over the last few weeks. 'The FAA briefly slowed aircraft in and out of the airport while we ensured redundancies were working as designed. Operations have returned to normal,' the FAA said in a statement on X. The FAA did not elaborate on why the ground stop was issued at 8:15 a.m. local time, but said there was a telecommunications issue at Philadelphia TRACON Area C, a traffic control facility that guides flights in and out of Newark. The facility previously had an outage on April 28, which was the catalyst for major delays at the travel hub. Newark airport said the ground stop was due to 'FAA equipment outages' and has since been lifted. During last month's outage, air traffic controllers in TRACON Area C lost communication with aircraft traveling to and from the airport, making them unable to see, hear or talk to them, according to the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA). It's not clear what caused the communication loss, or how long the air traffic controllers lost communication with the aircraft. The event led the air traffic controllers to take leave under the Federal Employees' Compensation Act, which covers federal employees who are physically injured or experience traumatic events on the job, according to NATCA, a union that represents around 20,000 aviation professionals. Since the incident, delays and cancellations of flights traveling into and out of Newark airport have been constant. Airlines, including United, have had to cancel hundreds of flights, and dozens of others have been diverted to other airports. Many issues contributed to the disruptions, including understaffing, construction and several instances of technical equipment failure. In an exclusive interview with 'Meet the Press,' Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he is concerned about the whole of U.S. airspace after recent outages at Newark, adding that telecommunications issues and glitches in software are to blame. 'Now I think the lights are blinking, the sirens are turning, and they're saying, 'Listen, we have to fix this,'' he said. 'Because what you see in Newark is going to happen in other places across the country. It has to be fixed.' Duffy said he believes they'll have Newark airport 'up and running in short order.'
