The Trump administration has initiated the dismissal of several hundred Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees, causing disruption during a busy air travel weekend. This action comes shortly after a fatal mid-air collision at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in January.
According to David Spero, president of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists union, probationary workers were informed of their termination via late-night emails on Friday. The affected employees include those hired for FAA radar, landing, and navigational aid maintenance, as reported by an air traffic controller who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The notifications began arriving after 7 p.m. on Friday and continued late into the night. Spero expressed concern that more employees might be notified over the long weekend or prevented from entering FAA buildings on Tuesday. He emphasized that the firings were made 'without cause nor based on performance or conduct,' and the emails were sent from a non-governmental email address.
This move comes at a time when the FAA is already facing a shortage of air traffic controllers. Federal officials have long raised alarms about an overburdened and understaffed air traffic control system, citing issues such as uncompetitive pay, long shifts, intensive training, and mandatory retirements as contributing factors to staffing shortages.
The fatal crash on January 29 involving a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines passenger jet, which is still under investigation, highlighted the challenges faced by controllers handling both commercial airline and helicopter traffic at busy airports.
The Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk and spearheading the administration's efforts to streamline the federal government, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The news of the firings was initially reported by CNN.
