Air Traffic Controller Shortage May Create Delays for Christmas Travelers  

Labor Landscape

A continued shortage of air traffic controllers may cause delays and long lines at airports nationwide as more than 7 million Americans begin their Christmas vacation journeys, according to Robert Strauss, a professor of economics and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University.  

Strauss said the shortage goes back to the Ronald Reagan presidency when Reagan branded the air traffic controller strike as illegal and fired more than 11,000 controllers who refused to go back to work.  

Michael Whitaker, the FAA administrator, reported that 1,800 new air traffic controllers will be coming on board to ease the shortage issues.  “But it will take 5 to 6 years to be back at full staff,’’ according to Whitaker, who leaves his post January 20 after a year of  dealing with safety and quality concerns at Boeing, the nationwide shortage of air traffic controllers and numerous equipment issues within the aerospace industry.  

The FAA also reports that more than 1,400 controllers – or about 10 percent of the total work force would depart this year.  It takes two to three years to be certified at an air traffic controller.  

“What you have is burnout and it remains one of the most stressful jobs in the aviation industry,’’ said Strauss.  

From 2011 to 2022, the number of fully certified controllers declined more than 9 percent, even though traffic increased. Based on targets set by the FAA and the union representing the air traffic controllers, 99 percent of the nation’s air traffic control sites are understaffed.  

“The shortage is hurting airlines and travelers,’’ said Strauss. In fact, United Airlines is quantifying the effects of  air traffic control staffing shortages on its operations at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. The carrier says more than 343,000 passengers were impacted by delays, cancellations and longer taxi times during the Thaksgiving holiday rush.  

Still, the flight cancellation rate for the first half of 2024 was just 1.4 percent – nearly the lowest rate in over a decade, according to the Transportation Security Administration.  And the average number of daily passengers traveling also showed higher numbers compared with 2019.    

AAA recently projected that nearly 119 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home over the year-end holiday period from Saturday, Dec. 21, to Wednesday Jan. 1. This year’s domestic travel projection narrowly surpasses the previous record set in 2019 by 64,000 travelers. AAA also expects an additional 3 million travelers this holiday season compared to last year when the COVID pandemic kept many travelers at home.  

Donna Madaras, a retired school teacher from Pittsburgh, Pa, said she is not worried about the controller shortage because she is traveling with friends.  “If I was by myself, I would worry. “ 

Other travelers like Bernie Woodruff of Washington, Pa. said he just closes his eyes and waits until the plane lands.  “I just keep my fingers crossed the whole time,’’ said Woodruff, a retired shoe salesman.  

Industry experts report that the best day to fly to avoid the the holiday rush is Christmas Eve.  

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