United Airlines struggled significantly last year with air traffic control (ATC)-related delays at its busy hub airports, especially in the northeastern United States, where the Federal Aviation Administration remains understaffed.
“FAA staffing remains a challenge for the airline industry and, most importantly, for travelers,” said United Airlines President Bret Hart. “In 2024, even on sunny, blue-sky days, 66% of United Airlines delays were due to ATC challenges in technology and staffing.”
U.S. lawmakers have recently renewed their focus on addressing aging ATC technology and staffing shortages, issues that have long plagued the FAA. This includes a new effort to potentially separate the country's air traffic control system from the FAA, which could gain momentum in President Donald Trump's second term.
In 2017, President Trump proposed removing ATC from the FAA and placing it under the umbrella of a new nonprofit organization. The initiative faces opposition from Democratic lawmakers and some aviation groups, and has support from the prominent aviation industry advocacy group Airlines for America.
“We will continue to work with leaders of both parties in Washington to ensure they have the FAA resources they need,” Hart said. “We will work with the new Congress and the new administration to achieve that goal. We will explore opportunities.”
Kirby said he recently spoke with Trump about the issue of air traffic controllers, adding that Trump “knows a lot about airplanes. He knows a lot about airspace, even at his level.”
Kirby also spoke with incoming Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who is “focused on solving” problems with the resource-starved FAA as he assumes leadership of the U.S. Department of Transportation. said.
“I think they will … give the FAA the right resources, the right technology to operate effectively,” he says. “For our airline customers, all else combined is not as big a deal as effectively operating the FAA.”
The FAA, which has been undergoing a long period of leadership changes, is searching for a new permanent administrator after Michael Whitaker, who had led the agency since October 2023, resigned on January 20, the day President Trump was inaugurated. are.
Air Current reports that Chris Rochereau, former chief operating officer of the National Business Aviation Association, has been appointed FAA deputy administrator, replacing Mark House as acting deputy administrator. The FAA's permanent leader must be appointed by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
Meanwhile, United Airlines continues to improve operational efficiency. Hart said the Chicago-based airline has implemented “enhanced processes for crew recovery during irregular flight events,” resulting in fewer crew-related flight cancellations compared to two years ago. It is said that it has decreased by 80%.
“Furthermore, we continued to improve the aircraft turning process, focusing on key factors such as aircraft cleaning time and boarding efficiency, driving improvements in turnaround speed and overall operational performance in 2024. ”
