FAA reveals new workforce plan to address nationwide air traffic controller shortage

The Federal Aviation Administration unveiled Friday its plan to fix the air traffic controller shortage at airports nationwide and update infrastructure by replacing aging technology.

The new 2026-2028 Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan calls for hiring thousands of new controllers and modernizing its scheduling systems, so employees are not overworked. Air traffic controllers have complained of long hours after many quit because of a prolonged government shutdown.

"This forward-thinking plan delivers on President Donald Trump’s promise to provide the American flying public with a world-class air traffic control system, and that starts with highly trained, professional air traffic controllers," FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said in a statement.

"We can’t continue to operate the same way and expect better results," he continued. "We’re changing how we hire, train and schedule our controller workforce — and providing them with the state-of-the-art tools they need to succeed."

Bedford's plan calls for a full staffing target of 12,563 certified professional controllers based on current forecast demand. The agency said it has roughly 11,000 controllers deployed across more than 300 facilities as of April 2026.

The agency also has an additional 4,000 controllers currently being trained, including about 1,000 who were previously certified but are now training at new facilities. 

The FAA said in order to meet its staffing goals, it plans to hire 2,200 new air traffic controllers in fiscal year 2026, 2,300 in 2027 and 2,400 in 2028. It usually takes two years to fully train air traffic controllers. 

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.