Mapped: Every Understaffed Air Traffic Control Tower in the U.S.

[Anonymous]

In the immediate aftermath, officials mentioned that short-staffed air traffic control towers may have played a role. This was later deemed not the cause, but air traffic control staffing shortages are plaguing 44% of all FAA regulated towers, latest data shows.

We map out every single tower that is below the 2024-guideline staffing threshold (85%) per the latest available data current to September 2023, published by the FAA.

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mapped-every-understaffed-air-traffic-control-tower-in-the-u-s/

Well this is not comforting. I read another article talking about deferred maintenance, outdated technology, blackouts and a system designed in the 1970’s for 1/2 the number of flights. They are having problem getting parts for the old equipment.

[Anonymous]

Little about the US is comforting these days. Even if you're a billionaire. They know the anger among the 99.9% is simmering.

[Anonymous]

I didn't click the link but assume it's every ATC in the United States. Welcome to a failing society.

[Anonymous]

This is what happens when you use low bid procurement.

[Anonymous]

America was great in the time before airplanes. Y'all get some horses and enjoy greatness.

[Anonymous]

lol

Man that's scary. A sign of how not MAGA is going! 😢

[Anonymous]

Perhaps our country should get serious about solving real problems. If you want to blame the current administration and Congress (who are terrible, don't get me wrong), just remember that the last administration and most recent Congresses could have also tackled this...perhaps in that infrastructure bill they kept touting?

And we the electorate are to blame for not rewarding candidates who are willing to talk seriously about trade-offs and the need to make real compromise to solve seriously intractable problems.

Things like how you keep our necessary services and infrastructre going while keeping our national credit good...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Perhaps our country should get serious about solving real problems. If you want to blame the current administration and Congress (who are terrible, don't get me wrong), just remember that the last administration and most recent Congresses could have also tackled this...perhaps in that infrastructure bill they kept touting?

And we the electorate are to blame for not rewarding candidates who are willing to talk seriously about trade-offs and the need to make real compromise to solve seriously intractable problems.

Things like how you keep our necessary services and infrastructre going while keeping our national credit good...

Money was basically free for the 15 years. They did tax cuts. The NE corridor and part of the west coast need high speed trains to relieve over capacity in the US air traffic system. 75-90% of the delays in air travel start in the NE corridor and spread through the system. 2 hour delay in Florida or Texas chance are it started in the NE.

[Anonymous]

I might have to book my kid thru Newark. That is worse than most still, right?

[Anonymous]

Grand Forks is somewhere I fly in and out of now and then. Honestly, you don't really need someone there. They have like ten planes a day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I might have to book my kid thru Newark. That is worse than most still, right?

Lots of flights still getting canceled still, would avoid, if you can.

[Anonymous]

Seems to be worst at smaller airports. Orlando was 34th (71% staffed) - that was the first big one I saw. And then Phoenix and Atlanta were 80% staffed.

And I didn’t see DC, NY, Miami, LA, etc on the list at all.

[Anonymous]

Given all the apocalyptic posts about how AI is going to take over jobs, how come no one is talking about how AI should fill this particular labor shortage that seems very poised for AI?
It is not manual labor, it is mostly staring at screens and synthesizing data for optimal outcomes.
To be honest, I have always thought the media's dramatics about jobs and AI are just efforts at generating readership. Here we have an obvious need rich with data and there is no AI answer. The air traffic controller shortage isn't new. It has been going on for more than a decade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Given all the apocalyptic posts about how AI is going to take over jobs, how come no one is talking about how AI should fill this particular labor shortage that seems very poised for AI?
It is not manual labor, it is mostly staring at screens and synthesizing data for optimal outcomes.
To be honest, I have always thought the media's dramatics about jobs and AI are just efforts at generating readership. Here we have an obvious need rich with data and there is no AI answer. The air traffic controller shortage isn't new. It has been going on for more than a decade.

Self driving cars crash sometimes. You really think we’re ready to have 747s using similar technology?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Given all the apocalyptic posts about how AI is going to take over jobs, how come no one is talking about how AI should fill this particular labor shortage that seems very poised for AI?
It is not manual labor, it is mostly staring at screens and synthesizing data for optimal outcomes.
To be honest, I have always thought the media's dramatics about jobs and AI are just efforts at generating readership. Here we have an obvious need rich with data and there is no AI answer. The air traffic controller shortage isn't new. It has been going on for more than a decade.

Self driving cars crash sometimes. You really think we’re ready to have 747s using similar technology?

They already do. Many flights are done on autoland and autopilot.