San Antonio airport has been facing an air traffic controller shortage
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San Antonio's main air traffic control tower has been understaffed, according to the most recent Federal Aviation Administration 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.
- It's unclear if such shortages played a role in the incident, which claimed 67 lives, yet investigators will surely consider the potential.
The big picture: As of September 2023, facilities across the nation overseeing airports and approaching or departing flights were nearly 2,000 short of a staffing goal of 8,966 controllers.
Zoom in: San Antonio Tower, which handles traffic at San Antonio International Airport, was 11 positions (or about 20%) shy of its staffing goal of 56 controllers.
The latest: SpaceX employees visited the FAA's air traffic control command center on Monday to suggest safety improvements, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said.
- SpaceX's involvement with the FAA is complicated. The federal agency has investigated and fined the aerospace company multiple times, including for alleged safety violations.
Zoom out: The Trump administration reportedly began firing probationary FAA employees on Friday, many of them responsible for maintaining air traffic control infrastructure, multiple outlets reported.
- Fewer than 400 FAA employees were fired, but no air traffic controllers or critical safety staff were affected, according to Duffy.
What they're saying: A Department of Transportation spokesperson said in an emailed statement that the FAA "continues to hire and onboard air traffic controllers and safety professionals, including mechanics and others who support them."