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The Federal Aviation Administration is rolling out new financial incentives to attract and retain air traffic controllers amid the national staffing crisis that delayed and canceled flights nationwide.
Transport Secretary Sean Duffy announced on Thursday a variety of measures aimed at strengthening the controller workforce, including a $5,000 bonus for controller trainees and alumni at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma.
Additional signature bonuses will be offered to people who are willing to work in less-required tower locations, including parts of West Texas and Alaska. Controllers eligible for retirement will receive a bonus of 20% of their annual base salary that they continue to work.
“If we need to get more controllers in the tower, are you really not trying to encourage air traffic controllers who are experienced enough?” Duffy said at a press conference Thursday. “Let’s encourage them to stay. Let them stay. We have that experience, and we can help train young new controllers that come to the facility.”
LAX’s Air Traffic Control Tower is shown on November 4, 2015 (KTLA)
The FAA said expanding the country’s air traffic controller workforce is “a top priority.” In a statement, the agency added: “Our focus is to put the best and brightest in the academy and make sure all seats are filled for upcoming classes.”
The announcement is as passengers continue to face delays and cancellations due to shortages. The FAA is currently cutting around 3,000 air traffic controllers nationwide, with federal officials warning that the situation is becoming unsustainable.
Thursday was particularly rough for tourists. Flights to Newar Liberty International Airport experienced a delay of up to five hours, and many people were eventually cancelled. Two Friday morning United Airlines flights from LAX to Newark were also delayed.
John Dar Lopez, a professional ballroom dancer who travels frequently to the competition, said delays have become an unfortunate routine.
“I’m on a different flight every week, so we constantly deal with flight delays,” he told KTLA’s Carlos Herrera on Friday. “They happen a lot. That’s a shame. We get pretty lucky at times, but when it hits us once in a while, it’s pretty sad because we’re trying to make an era.”
Although incentives are taking a step forward, authorities warn that hiring alone will not solve the deeper issues. The country’s air traffic control infrastructure is aging, with 51 of the 138 systems currently labelled as unsustainable. Some use components that are over 50 years old.
We expect announcements on technology upgrades and infrastructure improvements next week.
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