November 22, 2024

Duckworth Meets with Air Traffic Controllers Ahead of Busy Holiday Travel Season

 

[CHICAGO, IL] – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—Chair of the U.S. Senate’s Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation—held a listening session with Chicagoland members of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) to hear their concerns and discuss some of the challenges our passenger aviation system faces ahead of the busy holiday travel season. Thanks to provisions that Duckworth championed in the bipartisan FAA Reauthorization law she helped co-author, FAA is working to boost air traffic controller training and staffing and grow the aviation workforce to enhance safety, grow capacity and reduce passenger delays.

“As millions of Americans prepare to board flights during the busy holiday traveling season, we must do everything we can to make sure our air traffic controllers have the support and equipment they need to keep passengers and crew safe,” said Senator Duckworth. “With the surge in near-deadly close calls adding even more pressure onto an already strained workforce, I’m proud to have co-authored the landmark FAA reauthorization law that will help us grow the aviation pipeline and close staffing gaps so we can maintain our nation’s global standing as the gold standard in aviation while cutting down on delays that make flying more painful for passengers everywhere.”

The Senator’s meeting with a group of air traffic controllers comes after the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a September report that determined a significant amount of air traffic control equipment was outdated, unsustainable and in urgent need of modernization. The bipartisan FAA Reauthorization law which Duckworth helped author requires the FAA to deploy more airport surface situation awareness technology to help prevent runway incursions and close calls.

“Today, I’m glad I had the chance to hear from our air traffic controllers in Chicago—who help support two of the busiest airports in the country at O’Hare and Midway—about the urgent need to modernize our equipment,” said Senator Duckworth. “Passenger and crew safety is paramount, and I will keep working to ensure our air traffic controllers across the country are equipped and prepared to meet the challenges ahead.”

The Transportation Security Administration estimates it will screen 18.3 million passengers between November 26 and December 2 this year. Midway Airport is expected to serve 7.2% more passengers and O’Hare is expected to serve 3.9% more passengers than during last year’s Thanksgiving travel rush.

Duckworth helped author the landmark FAA reauthorization law that was signed into law in May to extend FAA’s funding and authorities through Fiscal Year 2028. The reauthorization included several of her provisions to improve consumer safety, expand the aviation workforce and enhance protections for travelers with disabilities.

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