Lloyd Doggett Calls FAA ‘Negligent’ in Handling Controller Workforce

US Representative Lloyd Doggett, from Austin, Texas, recently expressed concern regarding how the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been addressing the pressing air traffic controller shortage. His statement follows current FAA head Mike Whitaker’s decision to step down after Trump’s inauguration.

Whitaker announced his plans to resign in a letter to his workforce on December 12.

"It is an unusual call," Doggett expressed. "He had only been in office a few weeks when I first met with him. It's now been 13 months of a five-year term, and he will be departing, so I was surprised by his decision."

When Whitaker took over as FAA Administrator, Doggett reported, there were around 35 air traffic controllers leading the Austin airspace. He noted that this number has now fallen to 29, which is less than half of the FAA’s recommended number.

This shortage recently caused a ground delay at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport that affected nearly 120 flights. Several other major commercial airports had similar issues, (AUS) especially with the surge in holiday traffic. Doggett worries that, if the FAA does not make proper changes, these setbacks will only get worse.

Doggett and Whitaker met after the delay to discuss the shortage.

"I have to say I was disappointed by the meeting," stated Doggett. "The Federal Aviation Administration responsible for our safety, I think, has been negligent in the way they've handled this. They have delayed our requests for months."

Flight delays, though they can be frustrating and costly, are not the most significant concern with the controller shortage. The Congressman claimed that the Austin airport has had upwards of a dozen close calls in the last few years. In February 2023, a Southwest flight was cleared to takeoff from the same runway a FedEx aircraft was preparing to land on. The two planes came within 100 feet of each other, endangering the lives of both crews and 131 passengers.

"This isn't a partisan issue," Doggett continued. "It's just a question of whether a federal bureaucracy responsible for our safety does its job and responds to our needs."

FMI: www.faa.gov