Transportation Secretary Complains Too Many Air Traffic Controllers Retiring Despite FAA Enforcing Mandatory Retirement Age

Trump administration transportation secretary Sean Duffy spoke about the national shortage of air traffic controllers as a result of retirements after 25 years of service.

Duffy appeared on Fox Business on Wednesday, complaining about the lack of air traffic controllers in the workforce.

"We have too many controllers that retire after 25 years of service. And so we have to look and go, is this a national security issue? Is this a safety issue? And should these air traffic controllers be retiring after 25 years of service?" he said.

The Federal Aviation Administration released a statement clarifying that before becoming an air traffic controller, one must meet a series of rigorous requirements to be trained.

"This elite group of more than 14,000 FAA air traffic control specialists provides a vital public service to guide pilots, their planes, and 2.7 million daily passengers from taxi to takeoff, through the air, and back safely on the ground," said the agency.

Potential air traffic controllers must be under the age of 31, undergo a medical exam and pass a security investigation, clear the FAA's pre-employment tests, speak English and have a minimum of a year of responsible work experience, a Bachelor's degree or a combination of post-secondary education and work equal to a year.

The FAA also stated that fewer than 10% of applicants actually meet the requirements to be trained for the position.

"This is a longer-term problem," Duffy said. "Not only do you train an air traffic controller over 3-4 months, but they also have to get in the towers. It takes a year to three years to train them up."

Air traffic controllers are also required to retire at the age of 56, allowing those under 31 to be able to serve for 25 years before retiring. Controllers with "exceptional skills" may have their retirement ages extended to 61.

The industry is increasingly relying on artificial intelligence to both train and assist air traffic controllers.