FAA 'negligent' in handling of air traffic controller shortage, Austin Congressman says
AUSTIN - Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin) says he's worried Austin-Bergstrom International Airport could see more delays in 2025 like the ones last weekend if the FAA does not make changes.
On Thursday, the head of the Federal Aviation Administration, Mike Whitaker, announced he's stepping down in January.
"It is an unusual call," said Doggett. "He had only been in office a few weeks when I first met with him. It's now been 13 months of a five-year term, and he will be departing, so I was surprised by his decision."
Doggett and Whitaker met Monday after a ground delay at the Austin airport last weekend.
A Southwest Airlines aircraft at a gate at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Austin, Texas, on Feb. 16, 2023. (Photographer: Jordan Vonderhaar/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The FAA told Fox 7 Austin the ground delay was because of a shortage of air traffic controllers.
"I have to say I was disappointed by the meeting," said Doggett. "The Federal Aviation Administration responsible for our safety, I think, has been negligent in the way they've handled this. They have delayed our requests for months."
Doggett said that at the beginning of Whitaker's term, Austin had about 35 air traffic controllers. Now, that number is now at 29.
Doggett's concern isn't just about delays, it's about safety too.
The Congressman noted that ABIA has had about half a dozen close calls in the last few years, including a Southwest flight getting the all-clear for takeoff while a FedEx cargo plane was landing.
At one point, they missed each other by just about 70 feet.
Austin airport near-miss with 2 planes caused by lack of technology, air traffic control
A near-miss at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in 2023 was caused by a lack of critical safety technology, and incorrect assumptions by an air traffic controller, the National Transportation Safety Board said.
"This isn't a partisan issue," said Doggett. "It's just a question of whether a federal bureaucracy responsible for our safety does its job and responds to our needs."
In Whitaker's announcement, he wrote the FAA beat its air traffic controller hiring goal and expects it will happen again next year.
It could take months before a new head of the FAA is named.
Once Donald Trump becomes president, he will have to nominate him or her. Then the U.S. Senate will hold a confirmation hearing.
The Austin–Bergstrom International Airport sent the following statement to Fox 7 Austin:
"The aviation industry labor shortage is a national challenge felt by airports and travelers all across the country. All of the federal agencies and private businesses at the airport have their own staffing plans and recruitment efforts. While Department of Aviation employees cannot staff ticket counters or security checkpoints, ground handling operations or the Air Traffic Control Tower, we work hard to assist our partners where we can with terminal crowd control, customer service, and ensuring our infrastructure and facilities are safe and operationally sound to support tens of thousands of travelers each day."
Mike Whitaker's Resignation Letter
Dear FAA Team,
Serving as the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration – with this incredible team – has been the honor of my lifetime. The United States is the safest and most complex airspace in the world, and that is because of your commitment to the safety of the flying public. This has been the best and most challenging job of my career, and I wanted you to hear directly from me that my tenure will come to a close on January 20, 2025.
As I conclude my time at the FAA, my confidence in you to meet our safety mission has never been stronger. This past year, air travel rebounded to near record highs but cancellations were at record lows — a testament to your excellence and dedication. It is not just me who recognizes what you do – the tens of the thousands of people who fly every day do, too.
You have seen leadership come and go – and through every transition you have kept air travel steady and safe. This transition will be no different. As Deputy Administrator Katie Thomson’s final day comes on January 10, Mark House, our Assistant Administrator for Finance & Management, will step in as Acting Deputy Administrator. Mark has 20 years of executive experience at the FAA, has served on the Management Board since 2018, and is uniquely qualified to guide the FAA and ensure a smooth transition.
As I reflect on my time with all of you, I appreciate how you continue to be aligned around our objective to keep the National Airspace System safe, and by the numerous accomplishments you have achieved this year in support of our safety mission.
Whether it was oversight of manufacturers and airlines or looking at our own processes, we enhanced the safety of the NAS. And it has not been business as usual for Boeing. We have dramatically increased oversight, including more inspectors and closer scrutiny over production. We are also making sure the company implements a robust safety management system, which will be crucial to an enduring safety culture.
Together, we are also staffing the NAS of the future. This year, we beat our air traffic controller hiring goal, and I have every confidence you’ll do it again next year.
Thanks to your hard work and perseverance, the FAA is ready for the air travel of the future with a final rule for the qualifications of powered lift, the first new category of civil aircraft since helicopters were introduced in the 1940s.
And through it all, our safety mission remains the same. After all, you have important work that must continue — managing air traffic across the country, making sure aircraft are safe, integrating new entrants, and planning for the future of aerospace.
As I prepare to hand over the reins, our mission continues and its importance has never been greater. Thank you for your service, your leadership, and your unwavering dedication to safety. Your work keeps people safe and our country strong.
Thank you,
Mike