Flights at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport experienced significant hold-ups recently due to a shortage of air traffic controllers. A temporary ground stop on flights arriving from key cities like Dallas, Houston, and New Orleans was put in place by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which was a source of frustration for many travelers trying to reach Austin. CBS Austin reported that flights from the Dallas and Houston area were particularly affected, with passengers like Shaylen Lewis experiencing a cascade of delay notifications. "We were getting a text message from the airline saying we are delayed 25 minutes, delayed 35 minutes, delayed 45 minutes,” Lewis told CBS Austin.
While the ground stop did not impact departing flights, the staffing shortage is nothing new, as revealed by Austin Councilmember Vanessa Fuentes. According to CBS Austin's report, Fuentes emphasized the gravity of the staffing shortage, citing six near-miss collisions at the airport in the last two and a half years, and insisted on immediate action to prevent potential life or death situations.
Not to be ignored, Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Austin lambasted the FAA and the Trump Administration for the ongoing staffing issues. "Central Texans continue to be unnecessarily inconvenienced because of the FAA’s failure to do its job," Doggett said in a statement obtained by FOX 7 Austin. He raised alarms over the stark staffing shortfall and the recent firing of a key safety equipment maintenance worker, which, in his view, could lead to a tragedy similar to that "over the Potomac."
Recent FAA numbers obtained via a Freedom of Information request showed a distressing picture. Only 32 controller positions out of a target number of 60 were filled, amounting to just 53%. "We are in the top five airports with the greatest shortage of air traffic controllers," Rep. Doggett mentioned in February. These figures, according to FOX 7 Austin, reveal a worsening trend over the past few years, with the situation "largely gotten worse over time."
Travelers such as Ed Oldfield expressed relief that their own plans were not derailed but empathized with others caught in an inconvenient web. "Things could go wrong if there are not enough people and, obviously, what’s happened is that the flights have been limited because of the shortage of air traffic controllers, which is a real concern and a massive inconvenience for travelers," Oldfield told FOX 7 Austin. Regardless of the ground stop being lifted, ABIA has advised travelers to stay connected with their airlines for the most current information.
