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By Dan Gooding and Peter Aitken
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Transport Secretary Sean Duffy and President Donald Trump, who spoke via speakerphone, introduced a new air traffic control system in a major update amid heightened scrutiny surrounding aviation safety.
"Decades of neglect have left us with an outdated system that is showing its age," Duffy said in his prepared remarks. "Building this new system is an economic and national security necessity, and the time to fix it is now."
The administration will look to add fiber, wireless and satellite systems to over 4,600 locations across the country. The White House set an ambitious deadline of 2028 to finish the overhaul, which the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee estimates could cost $12.5 billion to complete.
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Why It Matters
Recent flight cancellations at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, which serves the New York City area, once again highlighted issues with the country's aging air traffic control system.
Duffy's announcement brought together lawmakers from both sides of the aisle in a show of bipartisan support for a complete redesign to increase passenger safety.
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What To Know
"If there are foreseeable issues in the airspace you would expect someone to take actions to save lives," Duffy said during Thursday's briefing at the Department of Transportation. "This is bold. This is going to be challenging, but we absolutely can do it."
The plan is to secure full funding from Congress upfront to enable the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) to completely update the antiquated air traffic control system, with some control towers being rebuilt. There will also be major infrastructure upgrades, including replacing the old copper wiring used by communications systems with fiber.
Duffy was surrounded by equipment he said looked like it had been donated by the Smithsonian but is still in use today. The transportation secretary pledged to provide over 25,000 new radios and 618 radar replacements. He also said the DOT would introduce new technology at over 4,600 sites across the U.S.
Airlines for America President Nicholas Calio took the podium and waved around floppy disks and paper tapes he said air traffic controllers use to pass on data and hand off flights to each other. Calio said he had been waiting for the day he could stop using the materials, while Duffy said the FAA had to buy the supplies on eBay because they were so outdated.
The chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Jennifer Homendy, told the audience that the agency had been raising some issues with air traffic control for three decades and that the Trump administration's plan would finally address them.
Leaders from five major airlines, including Delta and JetBlue, were at the DOT for the announcement and strongly backed the administration's plan.
Duffy stressed the need for congressional support, saying he didn't do enough when he was in Congress to address the FAA's needs. He went on to thank former colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their support.
What to Know About the Air Traffic Controller Shortage
Families and friends of those who were killed in the collision between an American Airlines plane and a United States Army helicopter in January in Washington, D.C. were in the audience as Duffy made his announcement.
On the day of the incident, air traffic control staffing was below normal levels at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Multiple speakers paid tribute to the lives lost and offered their thoughts and prayers to the guests.
The FAA has around 14,000 air traffic controllers, about 1,800 of whom were hired last year. The agency still needs around 3,000 more amid concerns that recent staffing levels could affect passenger safety.
Understaffing at the FAA means controllers are often forced to work mandatory overtime, sometimes six days a week, prompting heightened concerns about worker fatigue.
The FAA agreed last summer to increase the minimum rest time between shifts. In some high-traffic areas, including New York and Florida, the FAA has limited the number of flights because of the lack of controllers.
The shortage is not a new problem, but highly-skilled role, like that of an air traffic controller, is not an easy one to fill. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association says the FAA has failed to meet its hiring targets five years in a row.
Trump and Duffy have said they want to speed up recruitment, but it will likely take at least three or four years to meet the current need.
What People Are Saying
President Trump said on speakerphone at the briefing: "The ancient infrastructure is buckling under the weight of more than a billion flying passengers a year, and Pete Buttigieg, who was the Secretary of Transportation, had not clue what the problem was."
Jennifer Homendy, chair of the NTSB, said at the DOT: "I have to say that the secretary's commitment to safety is real. He started saying that this is bold, but I have to tell you that this is absolutely necessary to ensure safety in our skies."
Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas said to relatives of the American Airlines crash victims at the briefing: "I want to thank you for your continued advocacy. For turning pain and anguish into a lasting difference ... It is my solemn promise that your tragedy will not be in vain."
What's Next
Duffy said it would take around four years to implement his plan, which hinges on congressional funding.
This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
Update 5/8/25 3:42 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional information and context.
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