Faa, Air Traffic Controller | featured news

The House gave quick and overwhelming approval Friday to legislation to give the secretary of transportation enough financial flexibility to bring the nation’s air traffic control system back up to full strength and end the mounting flight delays that had become a political headache for Congress. The vote came despite objections from some lawmakers that the nation’s air travel was being given special treatment.

The White House now says it's willing to consider legislation that would give the administration the budget-cutting flexibility to avoid furloughs of air traffic controllers.

With many air traffic controllers on unpaid leave, lawmakers criticized the agency for how it was handling the automatic budget cuts required by sequestration.

It was a tough start to the week for many air travelers as federal budget cuts led to cascading delays along the East Coast Monday morning. Some flights out of New York and Washington were delayed by more than two hours as the Federal Aviation Administration kept planes on the ground. The federal agency has said furloughs of air traffic controllers could lead to delays if there weren't enough people to monitor busy air corridors.

An air traffic controller who nearly caused a midair collision last year has again been relieved of duty after putting two planes on converging courses. The case raises questions about whether employee rights are trumping safety at the Federal Aviation Administration.

The FAA is investigating a report that an air traffic controller at the Denver Air Route Traffic Control Center had alcohol in his system during random testing earlier this month, according to NBC News.

Federal aviation officials say air traffic controllers will be allowed to use sick or annual leave time if they are too tired to work.

The Federal Aviation Administration changed air traffic control work schedules Saturday, acknowledging it has a widespread problem with fatigue after another controller fell asleep on duty - this time in Miami....

The head of the FAA's air traffic control unit resigned Thursday after a fifth controller was caught dozing while working the graveyard shift, officials said. "Hank Krakowski has submitted his resignation, and I have accepted it," said Randy Babbit, chief administrator for the Federal Aviation Administration.

The Federal Aviation Administration has uncovered another incident in which an air traffic controller fell asleep on the job, and the agency's chief told a congressional panel Wednesday the incident was "willful."