The Federal Aviation Administration announced on Wednesday that it will be implementing changes to increase the minimum rest time between shifts for air traffic controllers. This decision comes after a series of close calls between planes that were under the guidance of controllers, raising concerns about safety.
The FAA, in collaboration with the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, has agreed to several adjustments that will be incorporated into the scheduling for the upcoming year. FAA Administrator emphasized the importance of addressing controller fatigue as a critical public safety issue and pledged to introduce further measures to tackle this issue.
The controllers' union has long been advocating for addressing fatigue among its workforce, and the recent agreement is seen as a step towards providing relief to the understaffed group. A report commissioned by the FAA recommended a minimum of 10 to 12 hours of rest before all shifts to reduce the likelihood of errors due to fatigue.
Under the new agreement, air traffic controllers will now have a minimum of 10 hours off between shifts and 12 hours off before and after a midnight shift. Additionally, there will be restrictions on consecutive overtime assignments to manage fatigue levels effectively.
The FAA has taken steps to address the shortage of controllers by limiting the number of flights in certain regions and increasing recruitment efforts. The agency plans to hire 1,800 controllers this year and expand its training programs to meet the demand.
Recent incidents involving controllers have highlighted the importance of addressing fatigue. In one case, a controller's faulty assumptions led to a close call between a FedEx plane and a Southwest Airlines jet in Texas. While fatigue was not cited as a factor in this incident, other instances have underscored the potential risks of tired controllers making errors.
Overall, the agreement between the FAA and the controllers' union marks a significant step towards enhancing safety measures and addressing the challenges faced by air traffic controllers in ensuring the smooth operation of air traffic control systems.
