Air traffic controllers should have more rest between shifts, says FAA

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Last week, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that, effective in 90 days, air traffic controllers are required to rest for 10 hours between shifts and 12 hours before a midnight shift.

In a statement, FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said, "In my first few months at the helm of the FAA, I toured air traffic control facilities around the country and heard concerns about schedules that do not always allow controllers to get enough rest."

"With the safety of our controllers and national airspace always top of mind for FAA, I took this very seriously, and we are taking action," he added.

In 2023, the agency commissioned an independent panel to assess the risks of controller fatigue and provide recommendations, including having an off time between 10 and 12 hours between shifts.

Whitaker stressed that to ease pressure on the workforce, the FAA increased its recruitment and would meet a goal of hiring 1,800 air traffic controllers in 2024, up from 1,500 in 2023.

"I understand this lengthened rest period will be an adjustment for thousands of our air traffic controllers," he said.