Billionaire Elon Musk recently took to X to address the shortage of "top notch" air traffic controllers—and it didn't go well for him.
Musk, who’s heading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), is urging retired air traffic controllers to return to work due to a nationwide shortage of qualified air safety staff.
In 2023, The New York Timesreported that nearly every air traffic control facility in the U.S. was understaffed, leaving controllers in this high-pressure job overworked. After a deadly plane crash near Washington, D.C., earlier this month, the Times noted that the Reagan National Airport’s control tower had only 19 controllers—far below the 30 recommended by the FAA and the controllers’ union.
As of September 2024, the FAA employed 14,000 air traffic controllers, surpassing its goal of hiring 1,800 new workers that year in an effort to reverse a long-term staffing decline. However, earlier this month, the Trump administration cut 400 FAA jobs as part of widespread layoffs initiated by DOGE. Officials stated that none of the eliminated positions were air traffic controllers.
Despite his leading role in the ongoing slash-and-burn approach to gutting federal agencies, a seemingly clueless Musk issued the following call on social media:
"There is a shortage of top notch air traffic controllers. If you have retired, but are open to returning to work, please consider doing so."
You can see his post below.
Musk's post is especially ridiculous given that air traffic controllers are only permitted to serve in their position until they are 56 years old, per federal rules, so it's unclear how Musk’s plan to lure retirees back would work.
The FAA has struggled with a persistent shortage of air traffic controllers, and its management of air safety has come under increased scrutiny after a series of recent aviation incidents. According to a CBS News analysis of FAA data, over 90% of U.S. airport control towers are currently understaffed and fall short of staffing levels recommended by a working group made up of the FAA and the controllers' union.
People quickly called Musk out.
In the immediate aftermath of the aforementioned DC plane crash, President Donald Trump came under fire for baseless claims he made during the same press briefing about "diversity" initiatives within the FAA bearing responsibility for the tragedy that claimed 67 lives.
There is no indication or evidence whatsoever that diversity efforts within the federal workforce have impacted air safety; nonetheless, Trump said the FAA "is actively recruiting workers who suffer severe intellectual disabilities, mental problems, and other mental and physical conditions under diversity and inclusion hiring initiatives spelled out on the agency's website."
Despite his remarks, Trump has yet to offer a plan—let alone a concept of one—to address the shortage of air traffic controllers.
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