Air traffic controllers and flight delays/cancelllations
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Anonymous
I think the military could handle it. Not all ATC are absent from work. “a conservative estimate places the number around 10,000 to 12,000 active duty personnel across all branches: the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard” https://thegunzone.com/how-many-air-traffic-controllers-are-there-in-the-military/ “There are over 9,062 air traffic controllers currently employed in the United States” https://www.zippia.com/air-traffic-controller-jobs/demographics/ |
Anonymous
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The military doesn’t do the same amount of traffic. You cannot drop a military ATC in a tower at Reagan and call it a day.
Conservative fantasies about the all powerful military kill me. |
Anonymous
Literally what Prez Reagan did in the 80s |
Anonymous
EXACTLY! not only can it be done, it has been done. |
Anonymous
From the article you posted “ This figure encompasses both enlisted and officer positions, as well as those in training pipelines and various support roles directly related to air traffic management.” So you want an 18 year-old that is training to repair radios for air traffic control? That’s what I did when I was enlisted. I was in a support role directly related to air traffic control. Believe me, I would have no idea how to manage air traffic around any airport. |
Anonymous
| And it’s official… Trump is reducing the number of flights at major airports. https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/05/us/airport-traffic-cuts-government-shutdown |
Anonymous
He’s completely happy to keep the government closed. He wanted to destroy it anyway. |
Anonymous
How much has air traffic increased since the 80s? |
Anonymous
Its not like this stuff hasn't been discussed and debated every time there is a shutdown and the GOP always comes up with "but the military" - 
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Anonymous
It’s a “conservative” estimate and I guess you are saying the military has poor training? Pretty sure they would send capable ATCs. |
Anonymous
I am OP. Promise you I am not a conservative or a Republican. I believe our military is quite capable at handling these jobs. It’s also a better alternative than sending them to cities. And if no to sending military to airports, how about sending them to NationalParks and keeping them open? Pretty sure they can clean restrooms and are pretty good at search and rescue. FYI - also sure the military could do TSA duties since there is also a shortage with those agents. |
Anonymous
You want to send our trained military to national parks? Seesh. as it is, they have to beg for food from the germans and are getting SNAP cuts. |
Anonymous
We don’t have “extra” military. They are needed to do their military jobs. Pull them away from their military duties, and you’re sacrificing a prepared military. And it would be insulting for them to do TSA’s job. |
Anonymous
Ha, you clowns have zero clue and it shows. In 1981, U.S. air traffic was roughly one-third of what it is today. You forgot that even Reagan had to cut the number of flights by 50% to keep the system manageable. The number of controlled flights, use of hub-and-spoke systems, and reliance on global air traffic management (including international data exchange and satellite-based procedures) have exploded. Modern ATC involves NextGen systems, data links, complex routing, and real-time coordination between hundreds of centers , not just radar and voice comms. Even if military controllers could step in, they’d be overwhelmed by the sheer volume and procedural complexity unless traffic was slashed again, likely by 60–70% or more, which would cause massive headaches. Civil ATC uses FAA systems (like ERAM, STARS, and NextGen tools) that military controllers are not trained on. Lmao. Military ATC operates with different procedures, radar systems, and terminology that is optimized for tactical aircraft, not airline flows or IFR route management. The integration between FAA and DOD has improved, but interoperability is still limited. A large-scale handoff would require days or weeks of retraining and system familiarization. Military ATCs could handle operations at joint-use or military airports, but not the whole civil National Airspace System (NAS) seamlessly. The U.S. Air Force and Navy now have far fewer controllers than in 1981.Post–Cold War downsizing and automation reduced those ranks. Many of today’s military controllers are already heavily tasked with global operations and deployments. Civil ATC employs about 14,000+ FAA controllers; the DOD pool is maybe a few thousand at most not enough to cover it all. FAA manages not just route clearances but slot control, flow management, and coordination with airlines, TSA, CBP, and international partners. Those interfaces are highly automated and bureaucratic; military controllers would have limited access or familiarity with those systems. The “national system” would break into semi-isolated segments, and delays would cascade quickly. The National Airspace System now has many more layers of safety oversight and international commitments (ICAO, IATA, etc.). Replacing certified FAA controllers with unqualified military personnel, even temporarily, would raise liability and safety concerns that didn’t have the same scrutiny in 1981. Pulling a Reagan won't work anymore unless you want severely reduced travel. |
Anonymous
You have zero respect for the amount of training our military do, and for skills and knowledge they have. |