By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Major U.S. airlines are asking the Biden administration to extend cuts to minimum flight requirements at congested New York City-area airports through October 2025, citing air traffic controller shortages, according to a letter seen by Reuters.
Under minimum flight requirements, airlines can lose their takeoff and landing slots at congested airports if they do not use them at least 80% of the time. The waiver allows airlines to not fly some flights and still retain slots. U.S. regulators in September extended those cuts through October 2024.
"While the FAA made some progress in 2023, we anticipate an ongoing challenge in staffing of controllers that manage New York airspace through the end of Summer 2025 season based on FAA’s trending staffing data," said Airlines for America (A4A), the trade group representing American Airlines (NASDAQ:AAL), Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL), United Airlines and Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV).
The White House has asked for funding to hire another 2,000 air traffic controllers (ATCs). Last month, the FAA said it would relocate control of the Newark, New Jersey, airspace area to Philadelphia to address staffing issues and congested traffic in the New York City area.
The FAA said it and a controller union signed a memorandum to relocate control of Newark at New York Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) (N90) to Philadelphia Tower/TRACON by the end of June.
A4A said the FAA has only added 12 certified controllers at N90 since 2022 and is still short 93 below the FAA target. "The current and foreseeable staffing levels are neither adequate to give consumers the travel experience they deserve nor are they able to maximize the efficiency of the New York City airspace," the airlines said.
The FAA and Transportation Department did not immediately comment.
Airlines last forecast record travel this spring.
A government watchdog said in June critical ATC facilities face significant staffing challenges, posing risks to air traffic operations and said N90 staffing was at just 54%.
At several facilities, controllers are working mandatory overtime and six-day work weeks to cover shortages and the agency is about 3,000 controllers behind staffing targets.