Duffy announces 'supercharge' of air traffic controller hiring amid staff shortage

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Thursday he would implement plans to create a “supercharge” in air traffic controller staffing amid shortages. 

“This staffing shortage has been a known challenge for over a decade, and this administration is committed to solving it,” Duffy said in a statement, noting the position requires “skill” and "rigor.” 

He said the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) would increase starting salaries by 30 percent for candidates who go to the FAA Academy for air traffic controller positions and reduce the current eight-step hiring process to a five-step process to accelerate the hiring speed. 

The new method would shave more than four months off the old process.

“The new streamlined hiring process is just the first step to deliver on President Trump’s agenda to prioritize the American people’s safety and modernize the federal government,” Duffy said.

His comments follow several aviation accidents including a deadly midair collision near Reagan Washington National Airport in late January, a medical plane crash in Philadelphia and a missing Alaska aircraft found on sea ice in early February, among others.

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association president flagged concerns with low staff after the series of crashes and near misses at local airports, citing the training process as a barrier to increasing workforce numbers.

“It’s a rigorous training process. So it’s not like today we could go out and hire the 3,600,” Nick Daniels said during a February CNN appearance.

“It takes two to three years to get a controller from being qualified conditionally just to enter the job, and there are multiple points where they can fail out of being an air traffic controller. Everything from Academy to simulation training locally, and then eventually talking to aircraft on their own.”

Despite shortages, the FAA was ordered to cut probationary workers alongside other federal agencies, which Duffy supported.

However, Elon Musk, who has helped oversee layoffs ordered by the Department of Government Efficiency, encouraged retired air traffic controllers to return to work Thursday. 

“There is a shortage of top notch air traffic controllers. If you have retired, but are open to returning to work, please consider doing so,” Musk wrote in a post on the social platform X.

The Trump administration said it would prioritize discussions with congressional leaders to promote legislation that allows an overhaul of the country’s air safety systems following the fatal incidents.