FAA unveils new air traffic controller hiring plan after chief warned system was ‘chronically understaffed’

The FAA announced a revised Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan for 2026-2028, reducing the required number of certified controllers from 14,633 to 12,563 while indicating there will be about 4,000 trainees in the pipeline. The agency says it will use modern automated scheduling tools and a data-driven staffing model to reduce overtime, and notes that total certified controllers will remain above the current level of roughly 11,000. Reuters reports the move as a sharp target cut with a push to modernize scheduling, while CNN emphasizes the planned staffing reduction within a framework that still aims to maintain safety. Fox News highlights the agency’s public handling of the plan amid a committee hearing.