Aging air traffic control getting an upgrade after close calls

Added: 2026-05-05

[00:00:00]Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy aiming to bring America's air traffic control system fully into the 21st century. This one specifically was put in service in 1994 and was just taken out in January.

[00:00:13]>> The modernization effort became a top priority for Duffy following last year's deadly DC air crash.

[00:00:19]>> What we realized was that we use an incredibly old antiquated system. The urgency for updates growing. In Nashville Saturday two Southwest planes nearly collided mid-air after controllers put one in the path of another. The crash was avoided by quick actions from both pilots. And last month that New York's LaGuardia two pilots were killed when an Air Canada plane hit a fire truck on a runway. In audio from the scene a controller can be heard saying, "I messed up." Both incidents remain under investigation.

[00:00:53]At Tuesday's summit, former Governor Chris Sununu, who now serves as the CEO of Airlines for America, they're collaborating with the Department of Transportation and the FAA on the project.

[00:01:05]>> What are you hearing from the airlines regarding the current operations of air traffic control?

[00:01:10]>> At a New York for example, we've pulled effectively pulled down 10% of our flights. This happened just post COVID for the past few years. We just don't have the capacity cuz you don't have the the people that they need more with the staffing shortages, the lack of the technologies that the previous administrations just ignored for years.

[00:01:26]>> The upgraded system is also set to incorporate artificial intelligence.

[00:01:30]Officials hope the technology upgrades will help attract quality candidates to fill the agency's massive staffing shortages. I think a lot of Americans would be surprised to learn air traffic control is still using paper strips that look like they're out of the 1950s.

[00:01:44]>> I agree. Secretary Duffy says the project should take two and a half years and will cost 12 billion dollars, but they'll need Congress to authorize more funding in order to finish the job. At the Department of Transportation, I'm Caitly Gaskins.