Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy denounces the Biden administration for the failure of the Newark Airport infrastructure system, detailing plans to amend it. (Credit: Ministry of Transport)
Transport Secretary Sean Duffy said the key to alleviating the shortage of air traffic workers is offering bonuses to encourage retirees to stay in the workforce.
In an interview with CBS News, Duffy said it takes time to increase the workforce for air traffic controllers, but the key part of doing so is keeping experienced controllers longer.
“The key is I think they provided bonuses to air traffic controllers who are eligible to retire. Don’t leave because they want to pay a 20% bonus on their salary,” Duffy continued. “So, as we bring in more air traffic controllers and maintain more experienced controllers, we can make up for that difference.”
FAA plans to improve operations at Dot Layout Newark Airport
However, Duffy noted that it would take months if not years to resolve the shortage.
The air traffic control system is Continued shortage of staffing, Underinvestment in outdated technologies and critical infrastructure.
In February, Duffy promised to tackle these issues with a new action package to “recharge the workforce of air traffic controllers.”
His announcement was that 64 passengers and crew members of the plane and three personnel, the helicopter, died in an airborne collision between the US Eagle Flight 5342 and an Army helicopter on January 29th.
Newark Airport “one of many volcanoes waiting to erupt,” says the pilot
Transport Secretary Sean Duffy will speak at a press conference held at the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, DC on Thursday, January 30, 2025. (Getty Images/Getty Images via Tierney L. Cross/Bloomberg)
The vulnerability in the system has sparked new scrutiny in recent weeks after Newar Liberty International Airport, one of the country’s busiest Newar Liberty International Airports, experienced a series of air traffic management halts.
Earlier this month, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it has installed more tower simulation systems nationwide to help air traffic controllers authenticate faster while reducing costs. With these systems, controllers train for complex airport configurations, develop scenarios to address safety trends, practice cross-adjusting of runways, and rehearse phraseology according to the FAA.
FAA Air Traffic Control Tower at Newar Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. (Angus Mordant/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
This adds to the other steps Duffy said he is taking to accelerate employment on the field. One is looking to expand opportunities for veteran military managers, expand the list of qualified facilities, and provide financial incentives to alumni and new recruits who have reached major training milestones.
The FAA also plans to reward academy graduates who are assigned to difficult facilities.
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It also expanded the number of instructors and established a learning center at the Academy of Air Traffic Controllers in Oklahoma City. Duffy also streamlined employment by changing the old eight-stage recruitment process at the FAA to a five-stage process.
Duffy and acting manager Chris Rocheleau have issued plans to implement immediately to improve operations at Newark following consecutive outages.
