FAA struggles to keep pace as Austin tower operates at 45% staffing

Local near-miss incidents coupled with rising employee stress hint at an agency struggling to keep pace with demand, further revealing local delays are part of broader challenges across U.S. air traffic control.

Some context

Since late 2022, ABIA has seen six near-catastrophic events, per Federal Aviation Administration incident data. Just last October, an American Airlines jet carrying 122 passengers and six crew members nearly collided with a single-engine Cessna plane—coming within 350 feet of each other.

Several other close calls have occurred in recent years:

• September 2023: A fast-moving F-18 fighter jet flew too close to a Cessna private jet
• June 2023: An Allegiant jetliner— a larger passenger plane—came within proximity of a smaller aircraft
• April 2023: A SkyWest Airlines small passenger jet nearly crossed paths with a larger Southwest commercial plane
• February 2023: Southwest passenger jet and a FedEx cargo plane nearly collided on an ABIA runway
• November 2022: A near-collision occurred between too large commercial jets operated by Southwest and American Airlines

“[Flying] is safe, but it’s not as safe as it could be,” Lane said.

A closer look

The tower at ABIA is one of the most understaffed in the nation, operating at only 45% of its target staffing level, according to U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett.

Doggett said the air traffic control tower is down to just 27 of the 60 needed controllers.

“Over a year ago, the FAA administrator sat in my Washington office and stated that Austin’s understaffing of air traffic controllers was ‘as bad as it gets,’” Doggett said in a statement. “Despite my continued efforts to seek action and answers, our situation [today] is worse. The number of air traffic controllers at the AUS control tower has decreased, not increased, as the tower struggles to keep staffing at even half the level recommended by the FAA.”

Tower controllers are assigned to airports based on staffing needs and qualifications, rather than their preferred location, agency documents state. The FAA may offer incentives for controllers willing to work in low-staffed airports.

According to the FAA’s Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan 2025-2028, today’s challenges are linked to the current hiring pipeline. The plan cites three major events that weakened its ability to train new controllers:

• The March 2013 government sequester, which imposed federal spending cuts across many agencies including the FAA
• The 35-day government shutdown beginning in December 2018, the longest in U.S. history, which left many agencies operating with limited staff or furloughed employees
• The COVID-19 pandemic

According to the workforce plan, “academy attrition” is the single largest projected source of controller loss between 2024-28, accounting for 3,206 of the 6,872 total expected losses. More controllers are projected to be lost during training than from retirements, promotions and resignations combined.

The agency launched a hiring campaign in late 2024 bringing on 2,026 new controllers, with plans to hire 8,900 total by 2028. Yet with 6,872 departures anticipated over that time, the net gain results in just over 2,000 controllers.

The local lens

Lane said local controllers are not only managing Austin’s busy airport traffic but are also responsible for the air traffic landing at surrounding satellite airports, like Austin Executive in Pflugerville and Georgetown Executive Airport.

Lane explained new trainees without prior radar experience are being thrown into a fast-paced environment with no time to learn the basics—what she calls a “fire hose” situation.

“We’re doing the best with what we’ve got,” Lane said.

The FAA did not respond to a request for comment as of press time. Community Impact has been in contact with the FAA for several months, but the recent government shutdown has prevented responses after Oct. 1.

ABIA was among the first airports to deploy the FAA’s new Surface Awareness Initiative in 2024, which gives air traffic controllers real-time, bird’s-eye views of everything happening on the ground at the airport’s runways, taxiways and other parts of the airfield—a “game changer for air traffic control,” according to a news release from ABIA.

However, controllers at major airports are often responsible for air traffic up to 50 miles away from the radar room.

Of note

Airport officials and Doggett, have urged the FAA to upgrade Austin’s airspace from Class C to Class B, which was hoped to improve safety and lead to increased incentive pay for controllers. Class B, colloquially known as Bravo, is a stricter standard used at major hubs like Chicago and Atlanta.

However, the FAA denied the request in June 2025—a decision Lane said further hurt morale. Doggett has said the FAA has not responded to inquiries as to why the request was denied.

“Every time the FAA tells us they're going to give us something to help, they don't. It gets cancelled,” Lane said. “Like the Bravo—everybody was excited about Bravo, and then they went back on it.”

As Austin’s airport expands, officials worry air traffic control staffing may not keep pace with growth—posing risks to safety and the region’s economy. Tower staffing falls under the FAA’s authority; the city and airport have no control over this aspect of Austin airport operations.

“These staffing-related disruptions are now systemic, recurring with increasing frequency and intensity. ... With record-setting passenger growth and a multi-billion-dollar expansion underway, AUS cannot meet its operational or safety commitments without immediate staffing relief,” ABIA CEO Ghizlane Badawi wrote in a letter to FAA administrators.

Badawi said shortages have caused frequent delays, strained infrastructure and threatened ABIA’s reliability as a major hub. However, she expressed optimism following a recent $12 million federal investment for technology upgrades.

Nationally, the FAA announced plans earlier this year to offer short-term bonuses, speed up hiring and background checks, and expand training at its Oklahoma City academy.

The FAA has also expanded its training academy curriculum to several colleges across the nation, making air traffic controller training more accessible, according to a FAA spokesperson. Additionally, a fatigue mitigation plan was approved in July 2024, which introduced new rest requirements for air traffic controllers.

“I'm really encouraged and hopeful that by the time we complete the infrastructure, five years from now, the FAA will have advanced air traffic [control] staffing,” Badawi said.

Locally, council member Vanessa Fuentes is backing efforts to establish an Austin-based training academy.

Keep in mind

Government shutdowns have led to increased staffing constraints and worsening conditions, according to recent U.S. Department of Transportation announcements. Airports across the nation are seeing delays and even a complete shutdown of one air traffic control tower in Burbank, California.

The Austin airport has seen multiple ground delays over the past month, including after major city events like Formula 1—which saw the airport's busiest day on record—and Austin City Limits music festival.

ABIA encourages travelers to keep an eye on real-time info from the FAA regarding ground stops and ground delays that may affect your flight schedule at www.nasstatus.faa.gov.