The Bay Area's ongoing air traffic controller shortage
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The Bay Area's air traffic control facilities are alarmingly understaffed, new data shows.
Why it matters: January's mid-air collision between a passenger jet and a U.S. Army helicopter is bringing fresh attention to the staffing shortages, which are a longstanding problem.
- It's unclear if such shortages played a role in the incident, which claimed 67 lives, yet investigators will surely consider that potential.
State of play: Facilities across the nation overseeing flights were nearly 2,000 short of a staffing goal of 8,966 controllers as of September 2023, per the most recent FAA data.
Zoom in: Our three largest airports — San Francisco International (SFO), San José Mineta International (SJC) and Oakland International (OAK) — all failed to meet their staffing goals.
- SFO had a relatively low vacancy rate of 6.7% with 22 certified controllers and six in training, just shy of its target of 30.
- SJC had a 13.3% vacancy rate with 11 certified and two in training compared to its target of 15.
- OAK's vacancy rate was significantly higher at 40%. It had 19 certified controllers and two in training, 14 positions down from its target of 35.
Meanwhile Northern California TRACON, which manages airspace around airports in the region, had a 19.5% vacancy rate and was 34 people short of its target of 174.
How it works: The staffing numbers come from the FAA's 2024-2033 air traffic controller workforce plan, and include both fully certified controllers and recently transferred controllers who are certified but learning the ins-and-outs of a new facility.
- Controllers in training who have not yet been fully certified are not included.
Stunning stat: Of 313 total FAA facilities included in the report, only 23 met or exceeded their staffing goal.
Between the lines: San Carlos Airport, just south of SFO, was set to lose all of its air traffic controllers on Feb. 1 after a pay dispute that offered "significantly lower" compensation than their current salary, according to airport manager Gretchen Kelly.
- Though the controllers eventually reached an agreement, the incident reflected broader concern about the need to retain staffing for the high-stress position and its often-poor working conditions.
What to watch: In the wake of January's disaster, President Trump called for sweeping air traffic control overhauls, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy welcomed Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency to take a look under the hood.