The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is working to minimise potential disruption over the holidays by implementing contingency plans in advance.
The FAA plans to use military restricted airspace off the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico for commercial flights “to relieve inland traffic and reduce delays during holiday travel,” the agency said. Commercial flights with departures scheduled “well in advance” will also be given priority over private jets in the event of bad weather or airspace congestion.
In addition, the FAA said it has ensured that no space launches are scheduled during the busiest times around the Thanksgiving holiday.
The efforts come as the airline industry and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) have predicted a record-breaking Thanksgiving and holiday season, with 4.7 million travellers expected to fly. It also comes as storms are forecast ahead of Turkey Day, which always has the potential to cause disruption.
“This year we are seeing more people flying than ever before with fewer cancellations,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said during a press conference on Monday, according to The Hill.
Another complication is the ongoing shortage of air traffic controllers, which the FAA says it is working to address by hiring 1,500 new controllers this year and 1,800 next year. Among its initiatives, the agency said it is working with colleges and universities to “ensure that graduates of [Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative] programmes have the necessary skills to begin on-the-job training at a facility”, and has launched a year-round hiring track for experienced controllers from the military and private industry.
Earlier this year, the FAA also approved 169 new and more efficient routes along the East Coast to relieve congestion. These routes, most of which operate above 18,000 feet, are primarily along the East Coast and over the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico.