Image source: Wikipedia
Washington: The Trump administration has dismissed hundreds of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees, as part of a federal workforce reduction effort.
According to the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS) union, several hundred FAA probationary employees were notified of their dismissal via email late Friday night. The union stated that messages were sent from an “exec order” Microsoft email address rather than an official gov address, with notifications continuing into the weekend.
PASS National President David Spero condemned the firings, calling them “shameful” and stating that they “will increase the workload and place new responsibilities on a workforce that is already stretched thin.” He added that the decision “did not consider the staffing needs of the FAA, which is already challenged by understaffing.”
The FAA confirmed the dismissals in a report by The Air Current, which cited a PASS spokesperson stating that 133 of its members were among those laid off. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that fewer than 400 FAA employees were affected, and “zero air traffic controllers and critical safety personnel were let go.”
Image source: FAA
Concerns Over Aviation Safety
Among those laid off is Jason King, a former FAA employee involved in air safety investigations. He told WUSA9 that the move is “concerning for public safety in our national airspace” and that cutting staff directly involved in aviation safety “threatens public trust and increases the likelihood of future accidents.”
PASS emphasized that many of the dismissed employees “were devoted to their jobs and the safety-critical mission of the FAA” and that some were military veterans. The union also warned that more employees “could be notified over the weekend or barred from entering FAA buildings on Tuesday, February 18.”
The layoffs come as the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigates the recent mid-air collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which resulted in 67 fatalities. Reports indicate that staffing levels in air traffic control were below normal at the time of the incident.
SpaceX to Review Air Traffic Control System
In response to concerns over air traffic control operations, a team from Elon Musk’s SpaceX is set to visit the FAA to propose improvements to the U.S. air traffic control system. According to Secretary Duffy, the visit will provide SpaceX with a “first-hand look at the current system” and aid in developing “a new, world-class air traffic control system that will be the envy of the world.”
The FAA has not provided additional comments regarding the impact of the layoffs on ongoing safety investigations.
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