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The City of Austin is advocating for the establishment of its own Air Traffic Controller (ATC) academy to address staffing shortages at Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS). City councilors are calling on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to provide more support, as the airport struggles with delays and near misses due to a lack of adequate controllers.
Austin's main airport has been operating with less than half of the FAA's target staffing levels. The city hopes that by creating a local ATC academy, it can build a sustainable workforce pipeline and prioritize hiring graduates for AUS. Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes emphasized the importance of safety for both passengers and staff, leading a resolution that aims to tackle these issues.
The resolution includes immediate action to address staffing shortages, establish an ATC academy in Austin, and improve communication between the airport and FAA regarding delays. Currently, Texas does not have any institutions participating in the FAA’s Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) program, despite having six international commercial service airports.
