WASHINGTON- Over 1,200 employees of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are expected to leave the agency this year, raising concerns about staffing stability and operational safety in the U.S. air transit system.
Major hubs like Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and airlines such as United Airlines (UA) may feel the impact as the FAA navigates ongoing technical failures, staffing shortages, and public scrutiny.
Newark Liberty International Airport; Photo: Victoria Airport ParkingOver 1,200 FAA Employees Leave Jobs
Internal documents obtained by The Wall Street Journal reveal that more than 1,200 FAA employees could exit under a deferred resignation program originally introduced during the Trump administration.
A May 7 presentation stated, “Employees are departing the agency in mass quantities across all skill levels,” outlining widespread attrition risks.
Although the FAA claims these projections are theoretical, the agency confirmed that upcoming retirements and resignations represent around 3% of its 46,000-person workforce.
Crucially, frontline personnel such as air traffic controllers and airline inspectors are not eligible for the resignation initiative.
Nonetheless, the scale of potential exits raises operational concerns as the FAA continues to recover from a turbulent period marked by technical failures and a strained workforce.
Reported by the Independent, the FAA’s internal structure is facing compounding stressors, ranging from software breakdowns to human resource gaps, while struggling to meet federally mandated staffing levels.
These challenges arrive as the Biden administration works to modernize air traffic systems, a task complicated by political blame-shifting and past underinvestment across presidential terms.
Photo: Scarlet Sappho | FlickrAviation System Challenges
The FAA’s staffing situation is unfolding amid high-profile disruptions in US aviation. Newark Liberty (EWR), a critical airport for United Airlines (UA), has seen flight reductions due to air traffic controller shortages and system inefficiencies.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy partly blamed the Biden administration for delays, while also acknowledging shortcomings during the Trump era, including underpreparedness during the pandemic years.
The agency has been forced to defend itself in recent months following radar blackouts, flight delays, and a growing list of aviation mishaps.
One such incident includes a military helicopter colliding with a passenger aircraft near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), a fatal event that further spotlighted systemic vulnerabilities.
In an unusual development, the FAA has reportedly been influenced by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency initiative.
This includes allegations that a SpaceX staffer threatened FAA personnel over resistance to integrating Starlink satellite technology into federal aviation networks.
Meanwhile, hundreds of probationary FAA workers were terminated and later reinstated, adding to administrative instability.
United Airlines Boeing 737 MAX TAKEOFF from Chicago. Photo: Cado PhotoFuture Outlook
The administration has requested billions in funding to overhaul air traffic infrastructure and has introduced incentives to attract and retain skilled controllers.
These efforts aim to stabilize the agency’s operational capacity amid a shifting political and technological environment.
However, without addressing the underlying causes of attrition and reinforcing FAA oversight capacity, long-term risks remain
The current wave of resignations, although estimated at only 3%, could widen if institutional issues persist unchecked.
As the agency attempts to balance modernization with retention, public confidence in air safety and regulatory efficiency hangs in the balance.
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United Airlines Cancels 35 Daily Flights from Newark Airport
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