The Trump administration has initiated the termination of several hundred Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) probationary employees responsible for maintaining critical air traffic control infrastructure, as reported by their union. The exact number of firings is yet to be determined, but the head of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, AFL-CIO, confirmed that 'several hundred' workers began receiving termination notices on Friday, with the possibility of being barred from FAA facilities after the federal holiday.
This move comes shortly after a tragic midair collision over Washington, DC, claimed the lives of 67 individuals, shedding light on the shortages of air traffic controllers and FAA infrastructure issues. Following the crash, the FAA's system for disseminating crucial flight safety alerts to pilots experienced a failure, prompting the agency to resort to a backup system.
