U.S. airlines addressed staffing issues for air traffic control that have led to massive delays and cancellations across the industry this week.
At the Global Aerospace Summit on Tuesday, several executives from the airline industry expressed frustration at the staffing issues. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said problems have been building for two decades and will take years to solve.
JetBlue Airways CEO Robin Hayes told Reuters at the conference that even if the Federal Aviation Administration doubled hiring for air traffic controllers, it would still take years to sort out the trouble.
According to a statement from the FAA in August, it added at least 1,500 more controllers. However, the industry is still behind by at least 3,000 workers.
The FAA employs around 13,300 controllers, of which 26% are trainees.
In June, the Transportation Department Office of Inspector General reported that the staffing issues likely will lead to more serious traffic problems. The 10,000 controllers are required to work overtime, with many involved in six-day workweeks to keep up with the workload.
