New York passengers faced a night of misery on Monday when the Federal Aviation Authority announced a shortage of air traffic controllers would cause significant delays at airports across the region.
As of 6 p.m. Eastern time, LaGuardia Airport was hardest hit as some air traffic control zones imposed a “ground stop” — meaning flights bound for the airport were not allowed to take off.
Newark and JFK also experienced delays.
A woman tweeted a photo of an empty gate at JFK and demanded information from airport staff.
‘@JetBlue what the hell is that?!’ She said.
‘2.5 hrs & counting & now even the clerk at the gate has let us down.
‘No explanation yet as to what will happen to 1719 JFK after Atlanta?! I had just ordered your credit card because I thought I would be visiting JetBlue regularly and I regret it so much!’
Another man tweeted: “Well. My flight has been cancelled. Sat at the JFK terminal before someone at the airport told me it was cancelled. I just got an email from LOT. Postpone flight to tomorrow.’
A passenger arriving from Denver complained that he had to wait an hour on the Newark tarmac Monday night before he could disembark.
Another described the airspace for New York as “a black hole,” while another blamed the relaxation of COVID rules that increased the spread of the virus among employees.
A spokesman for the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) confirmed to that the delay was due to staff shortages.
A traveler at LaGuardia Airport. Passengers who passed through the airport on Monday evening had to expect delays
Flight Aware’s “Misery Map” showed problems in the New York area. Denver also faces problems Monday night, but their troubles stem from the weather
The National Airspace System Status Dashboard showed that the problem was with air traffic controllers in the New York Sector (ZNY), with the cause of the problem being confirmed in the comments section
The New York region – ZNY – can be seen on the air traffic control map
The National Airspace System status dashboard showed the problem was with air traffic controllers in the New York Sector (ZNY), who wrote: “COMMENTS: STOP IS FOR ZNY STAFF.”
“Due to the availability of personnel tonight, the FAA is required to reduce aircraft flow in certain airspaces serving New York City to ensure safety,” said Tony Molinaro, spokesman for the FAA.
“Departure and arrival delays this evening could be as much as two hours at John F. Kennedy International, New York LaGuardia and Newark Liberty International airports.
“Passengers should prepare for delays and be aware of updates. Please check with your airline for specific flight information.’
The FAA tweeted, “Due to the unexpected availability of personnel tonight, the FAA is having to reduce aircraft flow around New York City to ensure safety.
“Evening delays at @JFKairport, @LGAairport and @EWRairport can be as much as 2 hours.
“Check for updates and ask your airline for flight information.”
It was unclear what exactly caused Monday’s staff shortage in New York.
The New York Air Route Traffic Control Center, known by the initials ZNY, is pictured at Ronkonkoma, Long Island
One of the control towers at LaGuardia Airport is pictured as the airport struggles with delays
Airlines for America, a lobby group, told it could not comment on the circumstances of Monday’s staffing shortage in the New York area.
But in June, the industry association wrote to Pete Buttigieg, the Secretary of State for Transport, that staffing problems are disrupting flights even in good weather.
They said on June 24 that the Jacksonville Air Route Traffic Control Center in Florida was “understaffed 27 of the last 30 days, crippling all East Coast traffic flow.”
Travelers have endured a difficult summer amid record demand as airlines rebuild staffing levels after thousands of workers left the industry during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The FAA responded in a statement that “the American people deserve to have their expectations met after receiving $54 billion in pandemic aid to save airlines from mass layoffs and bankruptcy.”
The agency added that it “has responded to the issues raised in the letter,” including adding alternative routes, placing more controllers in high-demand areas, and increasing data sharing.
The FAA said in May it would increase air traffic control staff in Florida.
The letter said one airline estimated ATC-related issues “were a factor in at least a third of recent cancellations.”
The group said ATC “staffing issues have led to traffic restrictions in blue sky conditions.”
The letter also states that it is “absolutely necessary” to ensure adequate staffing at the New York Terminal Radar Approach Control.
On Aug. 15, the FAA told the Wall Street Journal that it plans to hire 1,500 new air traffic controllers nationwide beginning in the next fiscal year — Oct. 1.
“Where demand has increased, the FAA is adding additional controllers,” the FAA said.
The Federal Aviation Administration says it received 57,956 applications for this year’s 1,500 air traffic controller positions.
Last week, the head of the ATC union criticized the FAA for not hiring quickly enough, saying there are now thousands fewer available air traffic controllers.
“In 2011, the FAA had over 11,750 certified professional controllers and additional trainees, for a total of over 15,000 controllers,” said ATC union leader Rich Santa.
“At the beginning of 2022, there were more than 1,000 fewer fully certified controllers and a total of 1,500 fewer controllers on board, a number that has been declining for at least the last 11 years,” he continued.
The average annual salary for an air traffic controller is approximately $138,556 and all applicants must be under the age of 30.
National Air Traffic Controllers Association President Rich Santa (left), who has urged the FAA to expedite its hiring process, stands by President Biden
LaGuardia and Newark Liberty top the chart for airports with the worst flight cancellations in America, according to new data.
Noting that the FAA is on track to meet its hiring goals for the year, the FAA said in a statement, “The FAA, hiring new air traffic controllers annually, is on track to meet our hiring goal this year, and reduces the training backlog caused by COVID-19.”
But Santa says the decline in air traffic controllers is inexcusable given the “introduction of new technology and new entrants into the national airspace system”.
“We should have 1,000 more air traffic controllers, not 1,000 fewer than 10 years ago,” Santa said, but “FAA personnel aren’t keeping up with the attrition.”
Buttigieg had to step in and reassure airlines and customers that he was doing everything he could to fix the problems.
“We’re also working to ensure that FAA personnel, the air traffic control side, are ready to support these flights,” Buttigieg said last month.
“So if we have one area where there’s a staffing issue, it’s in Florida, where you’ve had tremendous demand and you’ve had a lot of weather and other issues like military and even commercial space launches that affect airspace.”
The ongoing chaos comes as American Airlines announced it would cut 2 percent of its flights in September and October, CNN reported.
According to the airline, the cuts were “proactive adjustments” to accommodate the resources currently available and to fit a “buffer” into the rest of its summer schedule.
The airline says it will reach out directly to passengers with “alternative travel options” and will issue full refunds to those who refuse the new flight arrangements.
The airline also announced that it will suspend service to four smaller cities from September 7. They said they will no longer fly to Islip and Ithaca in New York, Toledo, Ohio or Dubuque, Iowa.
American Airlines spokesman Brian Metham said the changes were due to a “shortage of regional pilots.”