Philadelphia

Media Coverage | Fact Sheet

PHILIDELPHIA AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL

A Staffing Crisis: By The Numbers

PHILIDELPHIA TOWER

• Currently authorized by the FAA for 109 controllers.
• As of October 16, 2005, the facility employed 82 controllers, only 63 of which are fully-certified. The remaining 19 trainees cannot yet work all positions alone.
• By percentage, Philadelphia is the most understaffed facility in the entire region.
• The facility has lost six fully-certified controllers since June of 2004. Another 6 controllers are eligible to retire this year, one of which is required to retire. In the next three years, 16 controllers will become eligible for retirement.
• From January 1 through August 31, 2005, Philadelphia ranked as the 4th most delayed airport in the nation.
• In 2004 alone, at least 3 controllers were on workmen’s compensation for traumatic stress injuries.

(NOTE: To become eligible to retire, a controller must either have worked 20 years and reach 50 years of age, or worked 25 years and be any age)