The head of the Federal Aviation Administration said Friday the agency will increase the required rest time for air traffic controllers in response to concerns about fatigue as a result of a staffing shortage.
The changes, which might take effect inside 90 days, require air traffic controllers to have at the very least 10 hours of rest between shifts (up from nine hours) and 12 hours of rest before an evening shift.
“In my first few months at the helm of the FAA, I toured air traffic control facilities across the country – and heard concerns about flight schedules that do not always give air traffic controllers enough rest,” FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said in a press release. “Because the safety of our air traffic controllers and national airspace is always the FAA’s top priority, I have taken this very seriously – and we are taking action.”
The changes come as pressure grows on the FAA to enhance air travel safety amid a spate of shortages at airports in addition to mechanical problems at some airlines and production problems Boeing.
A shortage of air traffic controllers, exacerbated by a hiring pause throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, has led to forced time beyond regulation and busy schedules for workers at some facilities. The agency hired 1,500 controllers last 12 months and plans to rent 1,800 this 12 months. Air traffic controllers within the United States must retire at age 56.
The announcement got here together with an order issued by the FAA report on air traffic controller fatigue, which beneficial the brand new rest requirements.
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