U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and the Federal Aviation Administration unveiled a new campaign to address the air traffic controller shortage through targeted retention incentives and accelerated hiring measures.
The package offers $5,000 awards to academy graduates and new hires completing initial training, plus $10,000 for those assigned to 13 hard-to-staff facilities, while eligible retiring controllers receive 20 percent of basic pay per additional year worked.
Announced in Washington, D.C., the initiative builds on February’s supercharge program and a March hiring surge that raised starting salaries by 30 percent for Academy trainees.
Hiring streamlined from an 8-step to 5-step process has cut timelines by five months, referring over 8,320 candidates to the Air Traffic Skills Assessment, with top scorers prioritized for the Oklahoma City Academy.
To speed entry, the FAA adds resources for medical and security clearances, expands instructors including expert educators, and boosts the Enhanced Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative for direct facility placement.
Veteran military controllers gain on-the-spot hiring at preferred high-pay facilities like Level 9 TRACONs.
These steps support FAA’s goal of hiring at least 2,000 controllers this year, bolstering operational capacity amid rising air travel demands and aging infrastructure upgrades.