Air traffic controller shortage bedevils Austin
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Austin's main air traffic control tower has been significantly understaffed, according to the most recent FAA data available.
Why it matters: January's midair collision between a passenger jet and an Army helicopter in Washington, D.C., is bringing fresh attention to the longstanding staff shortages.
The big picture: As of September 2023, facilities overseeing airports and approaching or departing flights were nearly 2,000 short of a staffing goal of 8,966 controllers.
Zoom in: Austin Tower, which handles traffic at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, was 18 positions (or 30%) shy of its staffing goal of 60 controllers.
- In October, an American Airlines jet missed a smaller plane during its landing approach at AUS by about 350 feet.
- Two years ago a FedEx 767 nearly landed atop a Southwest 737 that was cleared for takeoff at the airport while the 767 was nearing the runway in bad weather with poor visibility.
What they're saying: The incidents have prompted U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, an Austin Democrat, to press the Federal Aviation Administration to hire more controllers at the Austin airport.
- The Washington collision that killed 67 people was "a reminder that a tragedy like this can occur right here in Austin with so many near-misses, near-catastrophes in recent years," Doggett said in late January.