AUSTIN, Texas — U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, called on the Federal Aviation Administration to deal with the lapses in air traffic control safety at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA) on Monday. At least three near miss incidents between aircraft were reported this year, which to Doggett is “dangerous and unacceptable.”

The latest close-call at ABIA came Sept. 23 when a Cessna Citation private jet and a military fighter plane nearly collided on the runway. The pilot of the private jet acted quickly, barely missing the other aircraft. FAA is investigating the incident.

Demanding more air traffic controllers and training, Doggett directed a letter to acting FAA Administrator Polly Trottenberg. FAA has not publicly responded to his letter, but, according to reports, a spokesperson said FAA will speak to Doggett directly.

Concerned for the safety of passengers, Doggett told FAA to “take swift and forceful action” in confronting the leading cause for these incidents.

“With continuing rapid growth in the number of passengers and flights at our airport, the FAA should urgently address ongoing air traffic controller issues to increase traveler safety and support overwhelmed staff,” Doggett stated. “I remain committed to seeking more federal resources for our community to strengthen public safety and ABIA’s standing as an international gateway for people and businesses alike.”

Other near miss aircraft situations that Doggett listed are below:

• November 2022 near-miss between Southwest and American Airlines aircraft
• February 2023 incident between a landing FedEx plane and a Southwest plane departing on the same runway
• April 2023 incident where a SkyWest jet was routed to ascend into the path of a descending Southwest plane

ABIA is not alone in its staffing struggle, as airports nationwide feel the effects of a shortage in air traffic controllers. Doggett understands how overwhelmed airport staff are, with many having to work extra-long hours to ensure the travel schedule is met.

Doggett has spoken with local air traffic controllers and concluded that ABIA staffing levels are inefficient. With the number of travelers that traffic into the airport continuously increasing, ABIA is not at the size to securely manage the traffic volume.

“For instance, ABIA’s tower and approach control volume has increased 30% from pre-Covid volumes. Since September 2022, ABIA has qualified as a ‘Large Hub,’ accounting for more than 1% of total enplanements in the National Airport System,” explained Doggett.

It’s why he has requested that ABIA’s ranking be moved to a level 10 terminal facility. But even with its growth, there’s still a noticeable lack of traffic controllers.

In Doggett’s letter to FAA, he wrote, “According to your Administration, Austin has just 35 fully certified controllers, about 40% below the target level jointly set by the FAA and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. ABIA is working over 70% of its shifts below FAA guideline numbers for appropriate staffing. Such short staffing leads to exhaustion and unsafe working conditions, with controllers routinely working 6-day weeks and amassing hundreds of hours of overtime with no end in sight.”

The Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act, which still awaits approval from the Senate, is designed to instill a new staffing model that would improve airline operations and its workforce. The bill is greatly supported by Doggett, and he hopes legislators can see how necessary it is.

Doggett requested a response to the following items from FAA:

• Designate ABIA as a level 10 terminal facility. ABIA currently ranks as a “medium” level 9, and by increasing ABIA’s ranking, our airport’s extraordinary growth and traffic levels will be better reflected and will bring more resources, more appropriate compensation for controllers, and generate a morale boost for the overworked controller workforce
• Grant ABIA priority consideration in future rounds of National Centralized ERR (Employee Requested Reassignment) Process Team (NCEPT) until the airport’s workforce is able to support staffing an appropriate number of controllers
• Allow Operational Supervisor/Controller-in-Charge to provide oversight without concurrently working Flight Data/Clearance Delivery
• Provide a minimum of 12 hours of On-the-Job Training to each Certified Professional Controller In-Training each week
• Upgrade the airspace levels surrounding ABIA by either extending the boundaries of Class Charlie Airspace or even upgrading the surrounding airspace to Class Bravo, thereby tripling the amount of protected airspace around ABIA and mitigating controller workload by reducing the amount of traffic flying in close proximity to the airport without a requirement to inform air traffic controllers of their position