Why air travel is so chaotic right now

Why air travel is so chaotic right now

If it feels like air travel has gotten worse, you’re right. Passengers have been filing increased complaints against US airlines since 2021, hitting a record high of 66.6k+ complaints in 2024.

Airlines, once hopeful about a post-pandemic recovery, are already feeling the slump in ticket sales as customer confidence drops — and it’s likely gonna get worse. 

What’s the deal with airplanes? 

You could blame bad weather, tech issues, and, for the chaotic Newark Liberty International Airport, runway construction.

But one big problem is that the US has far too few air traffic controllers: 

• A New York Times analysis found 91% of air traffic control facilities are understaffed.
• Per FAA guidelines, there should be at least 38 air traffic controllers employed at the Philadelphia facility that oversees Newark’s airspace. There are 22. 
• At times, that has meant just three on a shift instead of the recommended 14. 

This is obviously bad for the controllers and everyone else. It’s not a job you want someone doing when they’re tired, stressed, or overworked.

What’s behind the shortage?

It’s not easy to become an air traffic controller: 

• Applicants must be under 31 years old, and pass several screenings. 
• Accepted applicants must complete up to four years of training. 
• They also must retire at 56 or apply for a waiver to keep working. 

Meanwhile, aging technology has caused disturbances, including blackouts during which controllers had no way to communicate with pilots, per the NYT.

This has led to mental health issues in an already high-stress role that require time off and increased turnover, further deepening staffing woes.

What’s being done?

The FAA upped pay and simplified its hiring process in the hopes of hiring 2k controllers this year, per Marketplace.

Plus, both the Biden and Trump administrations have added additional training programs to eliminate a bottleneck that forced trainees to attend an academy in Oklahoma that could only accommodate 1.8k students per year.

As for you, we’d suggest you invest in a big book of crossword puzzles if you’re flying this summer — just in case you get delayed.