Air traffic controller shortages are severe in the New York region, where facilities managing airports like Newark, JFK, and LaGuardia are missing nearly 40% of staff|Moto “Club4AG” Miwa|CC BY 2.0

Over 90% of the US’s 313 air traffic control facilities are understaffed, with 285 not meeting the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) recommended staffing levels, according to union data.

At 73 of these, more than 25% of staff are missing.

The shortage is particularly severe in the New York region, where two major facilities on Long Island are missing nearly 40% of their workforce. 

These facilities manage airports like Newark, JFK and LaGuardia, which handled 1.2 million flights last year.

Despite the US air travel system being one of the safest, the staffing shortage raises safety concerns. 

Training new controllers can take over four years, leaving the problem unsolved for years.