JetBlue CEO said on March 29 that the company is forced to cut 10 percent of its New York flights due to a shortage of air traffic controllers.
The budget airline’s CEO, Robin Hayes, talking to the Economic Club of New York, said that staffing in the air traffic control center that handles all inbound, outbound, and through flights in the New York area is 54 percent understaffed, according to Fox Business.
The national average is 81 percent, he said, and other airlines may react similarly.
“Even though we’re ready, we’ve got airplanes, we’ve hired pilots … JetBlue and other airlines are going to have to cut flights in and out of New York this summer in order to cope,” Hayes said.
To put this in perspective, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association President Rich Santa said two weeks ago that there are 1,200 fewer certified air traffic controllers than a decade ago.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warned that if airlines do not cut flights in the New York area, delays will be 45 percent worse than last summer’s, Hayes said.
Citing the FAA, Hayes said that 350 flights were delayed daily in New York last summer, partly because of understaffing in traffic control.
“Imagine that being 45 percent worse,” Hayes said. “It’s just not feasible.”
Last week, the FAA said that while it “continues to reduce the air traffic controller training backlog at many FAA air traffic facilities, staffing levels at the New York Terminal Radar Approach Control (N90) continue to be below targets.”
However, the agency said it is taking “several steps to keep air travel to and from New York City this summer safe and smooth.”
The agency also said it would “give airlines flexibility on slot usage requirements. In turn, the FAA expects airlines to take actions minimizing impacts on passengers, including operating larger aircraft to transport more passengers and making sure passengers are fully informed about any possible disruptions.”
Hayes said the impact on JetBlue will be higher than other airlines because 60 percent of the company’s flights serve the New York area.
JetBlue has invested tens of millions of dollars to hire staff for the busy summer season.
The company has “hired more people than we have ever hired,” Hayes said.
This, however, “is going to be a significant step backwards in our ability to do that,” he said.
The “10 percent [of flights] we’re taking out is largely offsetting the growth that was due to happen,” Hayes added.
Flights to other destinations can also be affected, as many pass through New York’s center, he said, giving the example of southbound flights from Boston, a major destination for JetBlue.
JetBlue forecasted in January that its 2023 revenue would grow.
