Transport Secretary Sean Dafi blamed the Biden administration for the infrastructure of Newark Airport, while giving details of the plan to fix it. (Credit: Transport Department)
Transport Secretary Scene Dafi Said that a key to reduce the shortage of air traffic workers is offering a bonus to encourage retired people to stay in the workforce for a long time.
In an interview with CBS News, Dafi said that it is going to take time to promote air traffic controller workforce, but doing so is keeping more experienced controllers in the area for a long time.
“I think what is important, we have offered a bonus to air traffic controllers who deserve to retire. We are going to pay 20% bonuses on their salary to stay for a long time. Don’t retire,” Dafi continued. “So when we bring more air traffic controllers, and maintain old, experienced controllers, we are going to be able to create that difference.”
FAA, DOT planned to improve operations at Newark Airport
However, Dafi mentioned that it would take months to solve the deficiency, if not the year, not the year.
Air traffic control system has been under great pressure for years Lack of staffing, Older technology and underwishes in important infrastructure.
In February, Dafi promised these issues to deal with these issues with a new package to “supercharged air traffic controller workforce”.
Came in view of his announcement Midar collision On the American Eagle flight 5342 and 29 January between an army helicopter, which left 64 passengers and crews of all the aircraft, and three personnel of the helicopter died.
Nevark Airport ‘is one of many volcanoes,’ Pilot says, ‘Pilot says
Transport Secretary Sean Dafi on Thursday, January 30, 2025, James S. of White House in Washington, DC. Brady speaks during a news conference in the press briefing room. (Teeryni L. Cross / Bloomberg Getty Embolce / Getty Image)
The system’s weaknesses have renewed recent weeks after the Newark Liberty International Airport, one of the country’s busiest, experienced back-to-back air traffic control outage.
Earlier this month, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it was installing more tower simulation systems across the country to reduce the cost and prove air traffic controllers rapidly. These systems allow the controller to train for the configuration of the complex airport, developing landscapes that address safety trends, according to the FAA, run the runway crossing coordination and rehearsal phrase science.
FAA Air Traffic Control Tower at New Jersey’s Newark at Newark Liberty International Airport on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. (Angus Mordant / Bloomberg / Getty Images)
This is in addition to other steps, Dafi said that he is taking to expedite to work in the area. For one, he is trying to expand opportunities for experienced military controllers, expanding the list of qualified features and providing graduates and financial incentives on new fare that have reached major training milestones.
The FAA is also planning to reward academy graduates, assigned to hard-to-staff facilities and reduces the waiting time for top candidates, which in some cases are waiting for at least one year for regular medical and safety approval.
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It is expanding the number of trainers and setting up a learning center at the Air Traffic Controller Academy in Oklahoma City. Dafi also strengthened to convert the old eight-phase recruitment process into FAA into a five-step process.
Dafi and acting administrator Chris Rochelodo released a plan to immediately implement the operation in Newark after the back-to-back outage.
