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☆ Exhausted air traffic controllers are making more mistakes on the job amid a stretched workforce doing 10-hour workdays and 6-day workweeks, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-03 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The shortage in US air traffic controllers is not new, but it has reached a critical juncture. AdvertisementFor years, air traffic controllers have seen their ranks diminish, to the point where 10-hour days and six-day workweeks have become increasingly common among this group tasked with preserving safety in America's skies. However, the nationwide shortage of air traffic controllers is not a new phenomenon. In August 1981, then-President Ronald Reagan fired 11,000 striking air traffic controllers, in what was a pivotal moment for the labor movement in the US. "The nation absolutely needs more air traffic controllers, and growing the work force will result in better working conditions and more flexibility," she added.

Persons: they're, —, Ronald Reagan, Reagan, Bill Clinton, Neil Burke, John F, Burke, Jeannie Shiffer Organizations: Times, Service, The New York Times, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, The Times, Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport Locations: United States, New York

On Thursdays and Fridays, his shifts typically began in the afternoon. Only eight or nine hours separated the end of some shifts from the beginning of others. “So much for a two-day weekend,” he said this summer, on what was supposed to be a day off. He eventually went to a doctor, who diagnosed him with sleep apnea and told him to quit his job because the schedule was endangering his health. It was the overtime that made the job intolerable, even though the extra hours added 25 percent to his roughly $150,000 salary.

Persons: ”, “

☆ Some air traffic controllers who've endured 6-day workweeks and unrelenting schedules have turned to alcohol and drugs to avoid seeking professional help, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Air traffic controllers, who have long endured staffing shortages, are facing increasingly strenuous schedules. The workloads have led some controllers to use alcohol, sleeping pills, and drugs to cope, per a Times report. When it comes to air traffic controllers, the coping mechanisms that some of them have sought to employ were further detailed in complaints to the FAA. "The nation absolutely needs more air traffic controllers, and growing the work force will result in better working conditions and more flexibility," she added. AdvertisementShiffer also said that the agency prioritized the health of its air traffic controllers, noting that it provided free counseling.

Persons: —, Jeannie Shiffer, Shiffer Organizations: FAA, Service, The New York Times, Federal Aviation Administration, Times, Washington Post, The Times

☆ ‘You couldn’t see anything:’ NTSB documents reveal new details on airliner near-collision
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Pete Muntean | Gregory Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The National Transportation Safety Board on Wednesday released more than 2,000 pages of interviews, transcripts, air traffic control recordings, and flight track data it has collected on the February 4 incident. The crew of the landing FedEx aircraft, a 767 cargo jet with three crew members onboard, told investigators the plane was on autopilot for the approach into Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Concurrently, the FedEx crew aborted their landing. “Rollin now,” the Southwest crew replied, according to a transcript of the radio exchanges published by the NTSB. Campbell also told investigators that he was working an overtime shift.

Persons: Robert J, Bradeen, Jr, “, ” Bradeen, ”, Damian Campbell, ” Campbell, Campbell, “ Rollin Organizations: CNN, National Transportation Safety, FedEx, Austin, Bergstrom International Airport, Southwest Airlines, Southwest, ”, NTSB Locations: Austin

☆ Hear how JFK air traffic controllers guided a Chinese cargo plane back to safety after an engine failed due to a bird strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A China Cargo flight suffered a right engine failure after a bird strike at JFK on Monday. After some repetition, the ATC was able to safely guide the Boeing 777 back to JFK. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. AdvertisementA Chinese cargo flight was forced to return to New York's JFK Airport shortly after takeoff on Monday after suffering a possible bird strike, the Federal Aviation Administration told Business Insider. With only one working engine, the cargo plane circled over the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Long Island, where it dumped fuel.

Persons: — Organizations: China Cargo, JFK, ATC, Boeing, Service, New York's JFK, Federal Aviation Administration, Business, YouTube, VASAviation, PAN, FAA Locations: New, Shanghai, Long, JFK

☆ US FAA wants new planes to capture more cockpit data to boost safety probes
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Europe has required new airplanes to collect 25 hours of cockpit voice recordings since 2021. FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said the change will "give us substantially more data to identify the causes of incidents." After one runway incident, the NTSB said the cockpit voice recordings in both planes were overwritten and not recovered because the devices record only two hours. "More data will not only help identify causes but better enable operators to address any safety deficiencies," Homendy said. When cockpit voice recorders were first implemented in 1966, they could only record 30 minutes, the FAA said.

Persons: Jim Vondruska, Mike Whitaker, Jennifer Homendy, Homendy, David Shepardson, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, REUTERS, Rights, National Transportation Safety Board, International Civil Aviation Organization, NTSB, Thomson Locations: Chicago , Illinois, U.S, United States, Europe

☆ An arguing couple forced a Lufthansa A380 to divert after the husband reportedly threw food and tried to set fire to a blanket
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

An arguing couple forced a Lufthansa A380 to be diverted to Delhi, per The Times of India. The husband shouted at his wife, threw food, and tried to set a blanket on fire with a lighter, the paper reported. Lufthansa confirmed an incident involving an "unruly passenger" on the flight to Business Insider. AdvertisementA Lufthansa flight was forced to divert on Wednesday after a severe argument between a husband and wife, The Times of India reported. It prompted pilots to tell air traffic control at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, India about a "situation and possible unruly passenger," per The Times of India.

Persons: — Organizations: Lufthansa, Business, Service, Airbus, Indira Gandhi International, Indian Express, Delhi Police Locations: Delhi, India, Times, Munich, Germany, Bangkok, Thailand, Thai, Flightradar24

That is because in his four years working the tower at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, the controller said, Southwest planes usually took off as soon as they got permission. “But hindsight being 20/20,” controller Damian Campbell told investigators, he “definitely could have held them,” referring to making the Southwest crew wait. Campbell said he couldn't even see the Southwest plane through the dense early morning fog on Feb. 4. Political Cartoons View All 1273 ImagesThe National Transportation Safety Board released transcripts of interviews and other details of its investigation Wednesday. “We had this dense ground fog ... you couldn't see anything,” Campbell told investigators.

Persons: Damian Campbell, “, Campbell, Bergstrom, ” Campbell, ” Organizations: DALLAS, FedEx, Southwest, Bergstrom International Airport, Transportation Safety, NTSB, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, Navy, Austin Locations: Texas, Austin, Southwest, Cancun, Mexico

☆ American Airlines works with startup to reduce carbon dioxide by storing bricks of plant material underground
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

American Airlines aims to remove carbon from the atmosphere by working with a startup that stores bricks of plant material underground. The airline announced a deal with Graphyte on Tuesday to purchase credits equivalent to 10,000 tons of permanent carbon removal with delivery scheduled for early 2025. The plant material is dried to prevent decomposition and then converted into carbon dense bricks that are sealed with a polymer barrier. Plant byproducts from the agriculture and timber industries are typically burned or left to decompose, which returns carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This biomass material is equivalent to 3 billion tons of potential carbon dioxide removal annually, according to Graphyte.

Persons: Jill Blickstein, Bill Gates Organizations: Traffic, Miami International Airport, Miami , Florida . American Airlines, Graphyte, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, CNBC PRO Locations: Miami , Florida

A record number of passengers traveled through U.S. airports over Thanksgiving weekend, the Transportation Security Administration said Monday. The TSA said it screened just over 2.9 million passengers on Sunday, surpassing the previous record of 2.88 million set on June 30. On Sunday, just 55 flights within, into or out of the U.S. were cancelled, according to FlightAware, a tracking service. Nearly 8,000 flights were delayed, including several hundred that were impacted by snow in Denver and Chicago. Southwest, which canceled nearly 17,000 flights last year, said it purchased additional deicing trucks and updated its crew-scheduling technology.

Persons: Pete Buttigieg, Brett Snyder, Snyder Organizations: Transportation Security Administration, TSA, Travel, Chicago . Airlines, Transportation Locations: U.S, Denver, Chicago, East Coast

☆ He wanted to be a trombone player. Instead, he ended up as CEO of one of the world's biggest airlines.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( Chris Johnston | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

He's been CEO of European airline easyJet for the past six years. AdvertisementIn a parallel universe, Johan Lundgren would have become a professional musician and never ended up as CEO of one of the world's biggest airlines. "I like people, and I like travel," Lundgren tells Business Insider in a faint Swedish accent during an interview in central London. He spent many years at TUI, one of Europe's biggest travel companies, rising to deputy CEO by the time he left in 2015. AdvertisementIt's the UK's biggest airline and is first or second in many other markets too.

Persons: Johan Lundgren, He's, Lundgren, —, Swede, easyJet, Charles de Gaulle, Charles de, It's, I've, didn't, Bob Jordan, EasyJet, Stelios Stelios Haji, he's, that's, Michael O'Leary, Filipo Monteforte, Ryanair's Michael O'Leary, O'Leary Organizations: easyJet, Service, Royal College of Music, Soviet Union, SAS, Southwest Airlines, Ryanair, British Airways, London Gatwick, Southwest, UK's, Airbus, Getty Locations: Britain, London, Stockholm, Leningrad, Russia, Soviet Union, Soviet, TUI, Majorca, Europe, Charles, Paris, Charles de Gaulle, easyJet, Ukraine, Sweden, Canada, Toronto, AFP

The late crush of holiday travelers is picking up steam, with about 2.7 million people expected to board flights on Wednesday and millions more planning to drive to Thanksgiving celebrations. The Transportation Security Administration predicts that it will screen 2.7 million passengers Wednesday and a record 2.9 million on Sunday, the biggest day for return trips. AAA says the nationwide average for gas was down to $3.29 a gallon on Tuesday, compared with $3.66 a year ago. Air travelers will enjoy lower prices too. Even so, the high cost of rent, food, health care and other expenses were weighing on people's travel plans.

Persons: Pete Buttigieg, TSA's, David Pekoske, ABC’s, ”, “, Airfares, Hopper, Jason McQueary, ’ ”, McQueary, Erin Hooley Organizations: Southwest Airlines, Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Federal Aviation Administration, New, Transportation, FAA, Transportation Security Administration, America, AAA, Drivers, Chicago O’Hare, _________ Associated Press Locations: United States, New York City, East Coast, snowplows, Denver, Chicago, Byron , Illinois

DALLAS (AP) — Despite inflation and memories of past holiday travel meltdowns, millions of people are expected to hit airports and highways in record numbers over the Thanksgiving break. Sunday will draw the largest crowds with an estimated 2.9 million passengers, which would narrowly eclipse a record set on June 30. Scott Keyes, founder of the travel site Going, is cautiously optimistic that holiday air travel won’t be the same mess. From June through August — when thunderstorms can snarl air traffic — the rate of cancellations fell 18% compared to 2022. The airlines, in turn, have heaped blame on the Federal Aviation Administration, which they say can’t keep up with the growing air traffic.

Persons: Pete Buttigieg, Nature, ”, Patrick De Haan, ” De Haan, haven't, Scott Keyes, ” Keyes Organizations: DALLAS, Transportation Security Administration, AAA, . Transportation, Southwest, U.S . Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Transportation, FAA, Airlines Locations: East Coast, snowplows, New York, Miami, Jacksonville , Florida, Delta

☆ Airlines brace for record Thanksgiving air travel
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Airlines expect record travel demand this Thanksgiving. The Sunday after Thanksgiving is expected to be the busiest day during that period with an estimated 2.9 million passengers taking to the skies. And Thanksgiving will be a test to see how the aviation industry handles the year-end holidays while still managing strains like a prolonged shortage of air traffic controllers. Weather readiness is particularly key for Southwest Airlines , which canceled 16,700 flights late last year and in early 2024 following severe winter weather, while other airlines recovered more quickly. Those extra two minutes "just helps that flight and the next flight and the next flight," she said.

Persons: they're, David Pekoske, Andrew Watterson, Linda Jojo, Jojo Organizations: Delta Airlines, Orlando International Airport, Airlines, Transportation Security Administration, Carriers, Southwest Airlines, Skift Aviation, United Airlines Locations: Orlando , Florida, Dallas, Fort Worth , Texas, enplaning

☆ Plane tickets are finally cheaper right now. It won't last.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The price of plane tickets fell 13% from October 2022 to October 2023. But rising labor and fuel costs could lead to higher prices over the next year. AdvertisementFlight prices are much lower than they were a year ago, but the good news for travelers won't last forever. Between October 2021 and October 2022, airline fares increased by over 42% , according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. AdvertisementUnfortunately for Americans, the clock is likely ticking on lower prices.

Persons: —, Hayley Berg, Hopper, Mike Arnot, Arnot, they're Organizations: Airlines, Service, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Travelers, Times Locations: Israel

☆ Lawmakers in Congress can't work together — and aviation experts say it's making it harder to keep the skies safe
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

"Gridlock" in Congress is in part to blame for safety risks in the skies, aviation experts said. The group, formed by the FAA, said insufficient funding is hampering the FAA. AdvertisementAn independent team of experts formed by the Federal Aviation Administration has blamed "recurring gridlock" in Congress and insufficient industry funding for the growing safety risks in the skies. AdvertisementThe six-member outside panel of aviation experts said in the report that years of disorder in Congress has posed significant challenges for the FAA, heightening safety risks. "At current funding levels, the FAA has insufficient resources to carry out its portfolio of responsibilities," the report says.

Persons: —, Mike Whitaker, Whitaker, Michael Huerta Organizations: FAA, Service, Federal Aviation Administration, New York Times Locations: United States

☆ Air-Traffic Safety Threatened by Staffing, Funding Woes, Report Says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Andrew Tangel | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Aircraft close calls have been rising, prompting safety concerns. WSJ goes inside the air traffic control tower at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to see how controllers juggle around 2,100 flights every day. Photo illustration: Nayon ChoThe nation’s air-traffic-control system faces increasing hazards from short staffing, outdated technology and chronic underfunding, according to a federal report that examined safety issues following a string of close calls at U.S. airports over the past year. Staffing shortages at facilities that manage airplane traffic are leading to significant flight delays as the Federal Aviation Administration shuffles personnel to maintain safety at the expense of efficiency, the report said.

Persons: Nayon Cho Organizations: Jackson Atlanta International Airport, U.S, Federal Aviation Administration Locations: Hartsfield

Aviation experts who examined the Federal Aviation Administration's safety record say the agency needs better staffing, equipment and technology to cope with a surge in the most serious close calls between planes. The group said Wednesday that the margin of safety in the nation's airspace is eroding and will get worse if nothing is done. The FAA has about 1,000 fewer fully certified controllers than it had 11 years ago, according to the report. “The FAA has made limited efforts to ensure adequate air traffic controller staffing at critical air traffic control facilities,” the experts added. “The age and condition of FAA facilities and equipment are elevating system risk to unsustainable levels, even before considering losses in efficiency from outdated technology,” the panel wrote.

Persons: Michael Huerta, ” Huerta, Mike Whitaker, ” Whitaker, “ Organizations: Aviation, FAA, National Transportation Safety Board, New, FedEx, Southwest Airlines, Southwest Locations: Washington, Oklahoma City, New York, Florida, New York City, Austin , Texas, San Diego

☆ Staffing and Technology Woes Threaten Aviation Safety, Report Says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Mark Walker | More About Mark Walker | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A group of outside experts appointed by the Federal Aviation Administration called on Wednesday for “urgent action” to address safety risks in the nation’s aviation system, highlighting issues like staffing shortages among air traffic controllers and outdated technology. announced the formation of the group, the National Airspace System Safety Review Team, in April after a string of close calls at airports across the country, and the panel released a 52-page report on Wednesday laying out its findings. to address the shortage of air traffic controllers and improve its aging technology, the report also recommended changes in how the agency is funded, such as more broadly shielding it from government shutdowns. “The current erosion in the margin of safety in the N.A.S. caused by the confluence of these challenges is rendering the current level of safety unsustainable,” the report said, referring to what is known as the National Airspace System.

Organizations: Federal Aviation Administration, National

NEW YORK (AP) — A cargo jet headed to Belgium from New York had to turn around mid-flight after a horse escaped its stall and got loose in the hold, according to air traffic control audio. “We don’t have a problem as of flying-wise but we need to return, return back to New York. We cannot get the horse back secured,” the pilot said on air traffic control recordings made by the site LiveATC.net and compiled by the site You Can See ATC. “I do believe we need a vet — veterinarian, I guess you call it, for the horse upon landing,” he said. “Is that something you can speak to New York about?”The controller said he would pass it on.

Persons: John F, “, ”, Kennedy Organizations: Boeing, Air Atlanta Icelandic, ATC, Kennedy International Airport, ABC News, Liege Airport Locations: Belgium, New York, Boston, Martha’s

☆ Joe Sharkey, Travel Writer Who Survived Midair Collision, Dies at 77
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Sam Roberts | More About Sam Roberts | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The cause was a hypertensive stroke, said his wife, Nancy Sharkey, a retired Times editor. The executive jet managed to land safely at a remote military airport, but the Gol Linhas Aéreas commercial airliner it collided with did not have such a fortunate fate: It nose-dived to the ground, killing all 154 people on board. It was the deadliest civilian aviation accident in Brazil at the time. The collision prompted inquiries by Brazil’s military and by American transportation safety investigators. Both placed blame on air traffic controllers but never fully resolved who was at fault or why the planes were flying at the same altitude.

Persons: Joe Sharkey, Nancy Sharkey, Mr, Sharkey Organizations: The New York Times, Boeing, Business Jet, Embraer Locations: The, Brazil, Tucson, Ariz

☆ Staffing shortages, outdated facilities threaten US air safety -- report
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The panel, named by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), released a 52-page report citing problems that included shortages of air traffic controllers, technology issues, outdated systems and dramatic funding needs. It cited aging FAA air traffic control facilities with leaking roofs, broken heating and air conditioning systems and old surveillance radar systems that must soon be replaced at a cost of billions of dollars. A government watchdog report said in June critical air traffic facilities face significant staffing challenges, posing risks to air traffic operations. The FAA said in March it was taking steps to improve air traffic control operations, which are short-staffed. "There is no question that we are seeing too many close calls," the head of the FAA's air traffic organization told employees.

Persons: LaGuardia, Brendan McDermid, Michael Huerta, David Shepardson, Louise Heavens, Nick Zieminski, David Gregorio Our Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, National Transportation, New York, Southwest Airlines, Boeing, Cessna, Thomson Locations: New, New York City , New York, U.S, New York City, San Diego

☆ A horse broke loose in a cargo plane, forcing the pilots to dump fuel and return to JFK
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Polly Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A horse managed to escape its stall shortly after a cargo plane took off from JFK on November 9. AdvertisementA cargo plane had to return to JFK after a horse broke loose and the crew couldn't get it back in its stall. Air Atlanta Icelandic flight 4592 took off at 2.30 p.m on November 9 on its way to Liege, Belgium. AdvertisementIt's unclear how the horse managed to escape, but it remained unrestrained until the plane landed at JFK. The flight path of Atlanta Airlines Icelandic flight.

Persons: — Organizations: YouTube, ATC, Service, JFK, Air Atlanta Icelandic, Boeing, Atlanta Airlines Icelandic, Air Atlanta, Business Locations: JFK, Liege, Belgium, New York, Canada

☆ October Inflation Report Price Rises Expected to Cool
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Jeanna Smialek | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +7 min

Airlines lower their fares when they are trying to get more people to book tickets as demand is slowing or they are facing stiffer competition. Early this month, the average price for a domestic flight around Thanksgiving was down about 9 percent from a year ago. But some airlines say demand is slowing outside of holiday and other peak travel periods. Image Thanksgiving this year is expected to set a record for air travel, with nearly 30 million passengers anticipated. If travel demand is dropping, in some ways that’s an even bigger win for people who are never going to give up on travel.”

Persons: Denise Diorio, “ I’ve, ’ ”, Diorio, Hopper, ”, Kyle Potter, Potter, Stefani Reynolds, John Grant, “ We’re, “, ” Barry Biffle, Steve Hafner, that’s Organizations: Airlines, Airlines for America, Credit, The New York Times, U.S, JetBlue Airways, Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Miami, Analysts Locations: Tampa , Fla, Chicago, New York, Paris, Europe, Caribbean, Denver, Orlando, Fla, Los Angeles, East, Ukraine

☆ Airlines predict record Thanksgiving US holiday travel
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Elijah Nouvelage Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Major U.S. airlines and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said Monday they expect record air travel over the Thanksgiving holiday air travel period. Airlines for America says Nov. 26 will be a record-setting air travel day with 3.2 million passengers. The record travel comes despite airline flight cuts to New York airports because of air traffic controller staffing. A government watchdog said in June critical ATC facilities face significant staffing challenges, posing risks to air traffic operations. In the summer of 2022, there were 41,498 flights from New York airports in which ATC staffing was a contributing factor in delays.

Persons: Elijah Nouvelage, David Shepardson, Alistair Bell Organizations: Hartsfield, Jackson Atlanta International Airport, REUTERS, Rights, Major U.S, Transportation Security Administration, Airlines for America, American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, TSA, Federal Aviation Administration, JetBlue Airways, JFK, New York, Thomson Locations: Atlanta , Georgia, U.S, Major, New York, New York City, Burlington , Vermont, New

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