David Shepardson
(Reuters) – The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said on Wednesday it had reached a deal with employee unions to ensure air traffic controllers get more rest as the agency grapples with staffing shortages.
Under current regulations, controllers handling active aircraft must have eight to nine hours of rest between shifts in most cases.
When the new rules take effect, controllers will take 10 hours of rest between shifts and 12 hours of rest before and after midnight shifts, the FAA said, adding that the 2025 schedule will be negotiated under an agreement with the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. Controllers will limit the number of consecutive overtime assignments.
Due to discussions between the FAA and NATCA, the FAA in May delayed the rule from taking effect in mid-July.
“The science shows controller fatigue is a public safety issue that must be addressed,” FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said.
An independent panel commissioned by Whittaker last year to assess controller fatigue levels called for mandatory breaks in April after raising “serious concerns.”
The National Transportation Safety Board has opened investigations into six near-misses since January 2023 that raised concerns about aviation safety and the strain on understaffed air traffic control.
NATCA President Rich Santa said the union has been concerned about controller fatigue for years.
“We are pleased to work with the FAA to implement changes that will begin to alleviate the issue of an understaffed workforce,” he said.
At some facilities, controllers are mandating overtime and working six days a week to make up for the shortfall. The FAA’s staffing goal is about 3,000 controllers, and the agency said it had 10,700 certified controllers last year, about the same number as this time last year.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in June it would extend cuts to minimum flight requirements at congested New York City-area airports until October 2025, saying the number of controllers handling traffic in New York was not enough to meet normal traffic levels without With more flexibility, there will be congestion and delays, and the possibility of cancellations.
President Joe Biden has sought funding to hire 2,000 controllers this year.
