Des Moines has among the nation's highest traffic controller vacancies
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Airports in Des Moines and Waterloo have some of the nation's highest vacancy rates for air traffic controllers, according to the most recent FAA data.
Why it matters: Two incidents — a deadly midair collision in Washington, D.C., last month and a plane from Minneapolis that crashed in Toronto this week — are drawing renewed attention to persistent staffing shortages.
By the numbers: Both local airport towers are each short 12 air-traffic controllers, per the FAA.
- Waterloo's 52% vacancy rate for its 23 air traffic controller positions is tied with Rochester, Minnesota, for the fourth highest nationwide among roughly 300 facilities.
- DSM International Airport's 43% vacancy for 28 positions is tied with seven others for the 20th highest rate.
State of play: The shortages come as DSM had a record high of nearly 3.2 million passengers last year.
- A new terminal is under construction and is expected to open in 2027.
The big picture: As of September 2023, the nation's airport control towers and approach/departure facilities, which are controlled by the FAA, were nearly 2,000 certified controllers short of the goal of nearly 9,000.
- En route facilities, which manage extensive areas of primarily high-altitude airspace, had 4,531 controllers — 1,136 short of their target.
State of play: Hundreds of FAA employees were recently fired by the Trump administration's push to make large-scale reductions, but none were air traffic controllers.
What they're saying: Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg pressed the Trump administration via a social media post Monday for details about the recent FAA staff cuts.
- In response, Sean Duffy, the current Transportation Secretary, accused Buttigieg of failing to address the air traffic controller shortage for four years.
Zoom in: DSM International Airport spokesperson Sarah Hoodjer deferred questions to the FAA.
- Growing the air traffic controller workforce is "a top priority" of the agency, FAA said in a statement to Axios Tuesday.
Go deeper: Air traffic controller shortages are a nationwide problem