Although the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has increased the hiring of air traffic controllers every year since 2021, the agency employed about 6 percent fewer controllers at the end of fiscal 2025 than it did in 2015, according to a federal oversight agency.
In that same time frame, as the total number of FAA controllers decreased from 14,007 to 13,164, the total number of flights using the air traffic control (ATC) system increased by about 10 percent, from 28.1 million in fiscal 2015 to 30.8 million in fiscal 2025, the report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) said. The shortfall has resulted in staffing shortages, including shortages at critical facilities, the report added. Fiscal 2025 ended on Sept. 30, 2024.
“Not having enough controllers can delay or ca…
