FAA struggles with ATC staffing shortage at Austin airport

Austin anticipates travel delays during summer as traffic increases while operational capacity remains reduced due to staff shortages. Representative Doggett expressed concern about potential midair collisions: "When you're so understaffed, you're always at risk that we will get to near midair collision number seven. We've had six, and number seven could be a true catastrophe if we haven't taken adequate measures to avoid it."

Later in 2023, a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet nearly collided with a Cessna Citation private jet and overflew a Piper PA-28 due to communication breakdowns between ATC and pilots. In October 2024, an American Airlines Boeing 737-800 passed a Cessna 182 by just 400 feet during landing approach. The holiday travel rush in December 2024 further strained AUS due to unresolved staffing issues.

The importance of ATC in aviation safety cannot be overstated; managing airspace involves handling time-critical information where mistakes can have dire consequences.

In January of this year, an American Eagle Bombardier CRJ700 collided with a US Army UH-60 Pave Hawk at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), resulting in the deaths of all aboard both aircraft—67 people in total—due to traffic pattern breakdowns.

To maintain safe skies, FAA support is crucial not only for ensuring proper staffing but also for maintaining equipment functionality. The FAA has faced challenges with outages and service issues at airports like Denver and Newark. It remains to be seen how these issues will be addressed by current administration efforts.