An American Airlines Airbus A319 takes off from the air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, on January 11, 2023.
Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images
The head of the Federal Aviation Administration said Friday the agency will increase the amount of rest time required for air traffic controllers to address concerns that staffing shortages are causing fatigue.
The changes, which will take effect within 90 days, will require controllers to take at least 10 hours of rest between shifts, increasing from 9 hours to 12 hours before starting the night shift.
“In my first few months at the FAA, I visited air traffic control facilities across the country and heard concerns about schedules,” FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said in a statement. Concerns that don’t always give controllers enough rest “The FAA always puts the safety of controllers and the nation’s airspace first, I take this issue very seriously, and we are taking action. “
The changes come amid growing pressure on the Federal Aviation Administration to improve air travel safety amid a series of near misses at airports, mechanical issues at some airlines and production issues at some airlines. boeing company.
A shortage of air traffic controllers, combined with a hiring freeze during the Covid-19 pandemic, has resulted in staff at some facilities being forced to work overtime and have packed schedules. The agency hired 1,500 controllers last year and plans to hire 1,800 this year. Air traffic controllers in the United States must retire at age 56.
The advisory comes alongside an order from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Report New rest requirements are recommended regarding air traffic controller fatigue.
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