The Trump administration has fired hundreds of FAA employees who worked on air traffic control infrastructure. According to CNN, the mass firings started last night and mostly affected probationary workers in technical and maintenance positions.
FAA Workers Get Fired As Air Traffic Chaos Unfolds
The Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS) union says these firings targeted employees on trial periods. That includes those who worked on radar, landing and navigational aid maintenance. Air traffic controllers, on the other hand, were unaffected because they already had a deficit of personnel.
David Spero, PASS president, says they were fired “without cause or for performance or conduct.” Weird, the termination emails came from a Microsoft email address, not a government one.
SpaceX to Overhaul Air Traffic Control
And to make things worse, Elon Musk’s SpaceX will be helping to develop a new traffic control system. A team from SpaceX will visit the Air Traffic Control System Command Center in Virginia to evaluate the current system and suggest upgrades.
In a statement, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said “we will find out what controllers like and dislike about their tools and explore a safer more modern system.”
Safety Concerns After Recent Aviation Crashes
This comes after a fatal mid-air collision at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in January showed the problems with the air traffic system. Congress has been telling the FAA to modernize and improve safety but critics say firing skilled workers will make it worse.
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) is analyzing the impact of these terminations on aviation safety. Sad day for those who dedicated their careers to public service.”
Uncertainty Over US Air Traffic Control Future
With SpaceX now involved in shaping the future of air traffic control many questions remain what will change. Trump previously said he wanted to speed up the process but details are unclear.
As this story develops industry experts and policymakers will be debating whether these sudden firings will make US air traffic safer.
