FAA safety review teams evaluate safety trends and staffing-trigger events at air traffic control facilities when recommending the issuance, adjustment, or rescission of traffic-limiting orders.
November 16, 2025
high
procedural
Operational safety assessment process informing decisions about traffic restrictions.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) can order U.S. airlines to reduce scheduled flights at specific airports to scale back demand on the national aviation system for safety reasons when air traffic control staffing is insufficient.
November 11, 2025
high
procedural
Describes FAA authority and operational response to air traffic control staffing shortages.
The FAA bases decisions to lift imposed flight reductions on improvements in safety metrics and on stabilization of staffing levels at its air traffic control facilities.
November 11, 2025
high
procedural
Describes criteria the FAA uses to determine when to end operational flight restrictions.
Government shutdowns can lead to staffing shortages at air traffic control facilities, which can contribute to flight delays and operational disruptions at airports.
October 08, 2025
high
temporal
Operational impacts of federal workforce reductions on air travel.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) can impose ground delays or limit air traffic at an airport when an air traffic control facility is understaffed in order to preserve safety.
November 02, 2023
high
temporal
Air traffic flow management includes staffing-based tools to reduce traffic when controller availability would compromise safe operations.
Staffing shortages at air traffic control facilities can lead to flight delays.
high
temporal
Operational impact of staffing levels at air traffic control on flight operations.
Shortages or absences of air traffic controllers, such as increased sick calls, can contribute to flight delays across affected airspace.
high
causal
Describes the operational relationship between air traffic controller staffing levels and flight delay risk
'Staffing trigger' is a term used to indicate personnel shortages at air traffic control towers and facilities.
high
conceptual
Operational staffing metric used in air traffic control to denote when available personnel fall below required levels.