AUSTIN (KXAN) — Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) staffing issues continue to cause some problems in Austin according to the agency.
On Mother’s Day, the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport dealt with some delays blamed on staffing by the FAA.
“I know that this airport is understaffed, and I can see it when I travel,” said Valentia Davalos who was dropping her mother off at the airport on Monday.
The staffing issues continue to leave some fliers on edge, due to it being an ongoing problem that, in some cases, has impacted safety.
“We had a few of those close calls on the runway and stuff like that, and that really makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up a little bit,” traveler Sydney Malcom said, referring to past incidents at Austin’s airport.
The FAA on Monday said operations were back to normal. But U.S. Congressman Lloyd Doggett, who represents part of Austin, still takes issue with what those normal operations are. He’s advocated for more to be done to address staffing problems.
“The real danger is safety,” Doggett said. “Those are indications that it’s not safe to fly, because yesterday [Sunday], we were short five air traffic controllers. We don’t want to wait until there’s a catastrophe here before we get the action that we need.”
The sense of urgency in Austin is heightened by what is happening at the Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. Newark has experienced FAA staffing shortages, and even radar outages, leading to cancellations and delays.
“We have to fix this, because what you see in Newark is going to happen in other places across the country,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said.
In an interview with Meet the Press Moderator Kristen Welker on Sunday, Duffy said they’re looking at fixes.
“Congress has given me the authority to extend the retirement age for air traffic controllers from from 56 to 61, but that’s not the problem,” Duffy said. “I’m going to give them [air traffic controllers] a 20% up front bonus to stay on the job. Don’t retire. Keep serving your country.”‘
Still, Doggett said that doesn’t take care of the issues happening now that need immediate fixes.
“That’s why I’ve been advocating strong support for the application made last summer to give our air traffic controllers the tool of expanded space to watch for these and also continue to advocate for more air traffic controllers, because we don’t want to wait until there’s a catastrophe here before we get the action that we need,” Doggett said.
