120-plus flights delayed at Austin-Bergstrom due to air traffic controller shortages

120 flights delayed at Austin airport

More than 120 flights were delayed at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on Sunday, reportedly due to an ongoing shortage of air traffic controllers.

AUSTIN, Texas - More than 120 flights were delayed at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on Sunday. 

Some were stalled for over 90 minutes due to air traffic controller staffing shortages. 

Air traffic controller shortage

What they're saying:

"Every time we have a ground stop of this nature, it is an indication that the federal aviation administration is failing to do its job," said U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin).

The question of why this problem persists is up in the air. The FAA continues to call for more traffic controllers at ABIA, but the number continues to fall every year. 

"The FAA, which admitted to me and this office, my office in Washington DC, a good while back, that Austin was as bad as it gets," said Doggett. 

"They are short-staffed, that they're overworked, working mandatory overtime, and simply do not have the personnel they need to safely operate our airport when there's high traffic or when there is bad weather," added Doggett. 

By the numbers:

In January 2025, ABIA's target number of controllers was 60, and they had 32, meaning only half of the positions were filled. Twelve months prior, there were 35 controllers, which was not too far off from their goal of 42, putting them at 83%. 

The FAA has shortened the hiring process and offered existing controllers bonuses to discourage early retirement. Since November 2022, there have been at least half a dozen near misses on the runway in Austin. 

"There are steps the FAA can take that will recognize the severity of the problem in Austin and help us get the controllers that we need," said Doggett. 

What's next:

On April 24, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced its audit into the FAA's on-the-job training initiatives for traffic controllers. 

The FAA wants to hire about 3,000 traffic controllers to overcome its shortfalls.