The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has opened a thorough audit into runway incursions that have been taking place at many of the busiest airports across the United States.
45 of the busiest US airports under the magnifying glass
On Tuesday, October 15, the FAA opened an audit into runway incursion risks across 45 of the busiest US airports. This comes after a string of near-miss incidents that have occurred under air traffic control watch. Just last week, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) advised that air traffic controllers at Nashville International Airport (BNA) in Tennessee had cleared an Alaska Airlines plane to depart on the same runway, of which a Southwest Airlines flight was cleared to cross.
Photo: NATS
The audit will include a risk profile for each airport and identify potential gaps in current procedures, equipment, and processes. Based on this data, recommendations to improve safety are expected to be reported by early 2025.
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The flights became within 600 feet of each other and required evasive action to avoid a mid-air collision.
Traffic Safety Oversight Service
The FAA’s Traffic Safety Oversight Service is conducting the review, and the agency has confirmed that it “is committed to identifying and mitigating risk at every level.”
This comes as several near-miss incidents have occurred over the last two years, raising concerns that the strain of understaffed air-traffic-control operations has led to rising runway incursion incidents. The study will respond to recommendations made in November 2023, when an independent US aviation review team called for urgent action to boost safety in the sector. Officials have pointed to staffing issues, inexperience of airline pilots, and outdated technology as possible causes of the high number. Many have also pointed out that the system is under stress due to record year-on-year air traffic growth in 2023 as the industry recovers from the COVID pandemic.
Photo: American Airlines
President Joe Biden, has also weighed in, encouraging funding for up to 2,000 new new controllers. Last year, the FAA hired 1,500 new controllers, and the White House allocated $26 million for new technology to enhance aviation safety.
Earlier this year, the FAA announced it would be installing new surface-awareness technology, including at Nashville International Airport. However, it remains unclear if this technology was in operation at the time of the Alaska vs. Southwest Airlines incident.
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Flight cuts due to ATC shortage
New York City area airports saw extended cuts to minimum flight requirements from June through October, with the FAA citing ongoing ATC staffing shortages. A government watchdog reported in June that critical air traffic facilities continue to face significant staffing challenges, which poses a risk to all air traffic operations. Many of the ATCs currently rostered are working mandatory overtime, including six-day working weeks, to cover staffing shortages.
While there have been fewer near-miss incidents in the US over the past few months, the FAA identified at least 19 near-miss events in 2023 in which aircraft came close to a collision.