Air Traffic Controllers In High Demand in WA: Will Opportunities Soar or Fall?

Planning a vacation this summer? Visiting friends out of State? I don't know about you, but I've got a few I'm planning, and now I'm feeling all kinds of anxiety around them.  We've been told for years that flying is safer than driving. I just don't see that to be the case any longer, at least not for right now.

A recent article from Axios gave me some things to think about. This is a topic that’s been keeping me up at night—flying. Not just the act of flying, but the state of flying. And if you’ve been paying attention to the news, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

January’s midair collision between a passenger jet and an Army helicopter was a tragedy that shook me to my core. Sixty-seven lives lost. Sixty-seven families forever changed. And while we don’t yet know if staffing shortages played a role in that horrific incident, it’s hard not to wonder. Here’s the thing: our air traffic control system is in crisis. And as someone who’s about to board a plane for a work trip soon, I’ll admit—I’m scared.

Let’s talk numbers because they don’t lie.

Understaffing Issues: A Look at the Current Numbers

According to the FAA’s latest report, a staggering number of air traffic control facilities across the country are understaffed. In Washington state alone, all seven control towers included in the report are failing to meet their staffing goals.

The FAA aims to have 201 certified controllers working across those facilities, but as of September 2023, there were only 148. That’s a gap of 53 controllers. Fifty-three pairs of eyes that should be watching the skies, guiding planes safely to their destinations, but aren’t. It’s not just Washington.

Nationwide, our airport control towers and approach/departure facilities are operating with 7,047 certified controllers—nearly 2,000 short of the 8,966-controller goal set by the FAA and the air traffic controllers union. Out of 313 FAA facilities included in the report, only 23 are fully staffed.

Let that sink in. Only 23. Now, I’m not here to point fingers. The FAA says hiring more controllers is a “top priority,” and I believe them. But the path to becoming a fully certified controller is long and grueling.

Many trainees don’t make it through the rigorous process, and those who do often face mandatory retirement at age 56. It’s a system that’s constantly losing experienced hands, and the recruitment efforts, while ramped up, just aren’t keeping pace. Then there’s the political uncertainty, with whispers of federal workforce cuts looming, I wonder who would want to enter this field right now? The stakes are too high to ignore.

How many air traffic controllers does SEA-TAC Airport have?

Take Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, for example. Sea-Tac’s tower is short five controllers. Five. That might not sound like a lot, but when you’re responsible for guiding hundreds of flights a day, every single controller matters. Every single one.

So, what does this mean for us—the everyday travelers, the moms flying to see their kids, the business folks hopping from city to city, the grandparents heading off on that long-awaited vacation?

We’re putting our trust in a system that’s stretched too thin.

It means we’re crossing our fingers and hoping that the person in the tower is rested, focused, and not overwhelmed by the sheer volume of planes in the sky. I’ll be honest with you—I’ve never been a nervous flyer, but lately, every time I buckle my seatbelt and hear that familiar hum of the engines, I feel a knot in my stomach.

It’s not just the fear of turbulence or bad weather. It’s the fear of the unknown. The fear that the system we rely on to keep us safe is teetering on the edge. But here’s the thing: fear doesn’t have to paralyze us. It can motivate us. It can push us to demand better, to ask the hard questions, to hold those in power accountable.

The FAA says hiring is a priority—well, let’s make sure they follow through.

Let’s support the air traffic controllers who are working tirelessly to keep us safe.
And let’s remember that every number in those reports represents a real person, a real life, a real story. So, the next time you’re on a plane, take a moment to think about the folks in the tower. They’re the unsung heroes of the skies, and they deserve our gratitude—and our advocacy.

Because at the end of the day, we’re all in this together. And together, we can make sure that the skies remain not just open, but safe.

I’ve got a flight to catch soon. And yes, I’ll be white-knuckling it all the way. But I’ll also be hoping—hoping for a brighter, safer future for all of us up here in the wild blue yonder.