Reuters: US air traffic control system failing Americans, airline CEOs say

[Dennis Donovan]

Reuters - US air traffic control system failing Americans, airline CEOs say

By David Shepardson
May 21, 2025
9:56 AM EDT
Updated 31 min ago



WASHINGTON, May 21 (Reuters) - Major airline CEOs on Wednesday called on Congress to approve billions of dollars in funding to modernize the United States' aging air traffic control system, saying it is "failing Americans."

The Federal Aviation Administration's air traffic control network's woes have been years in the making. But a rush of high-profile mishaps, near-misses and a deadly January crash involving an American Airlines regional jet caused public alarm and prompted new calls for action.

In a joint letter, the airline executives cited recent failures involving Newark Airport and said the FAA's technology "is wildly out of date."
"Aviation remains the safest mode of transportation in the U.S., but for it to remain so, serious upgrades need to happen now," said the letter, citing a 2023 independent review that raised safety concerns.

The executives called for urgent action as the busy summer travel season begins with the Memorial Day holiday this weekend.

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