Air traffic controllers at Hollywood Burbank Airport are raising urgent concerns about a deepening staffing crisis that they warn is pushing the aviation system to its limits and compromising safety.
Exhausted Controllers and Safety Warnings
In exclusive revelations, controllers describe working in a state of chronic exhaustion due to mandatory overtime and severe understaffing. Multiple personnel have reported falling asleep during their commutes home, highlighting the extreme fatigue affecting those responsible for guiding aircraft safely.
The situation has become so dire that the Federal Aviation Administration has been forced to extend reduced arrival rates at the airport through at least February 2026, acknowledging the system cannot handle normal traffic volumes with current staffing levels.
Near-Misses and Close Calls
The staffing shortages have already manifested in dangerous incidents, including a recent near-miss where two aircraft came within 800 feet of each other. Controllers report that such close calls are becoming more frequent as overworked staff struggle to manage increasing air traffic.
One controller anonymously stated, "We're constantly operating at the edge of what's safe. The margin for error keeps getting thinner."
National Crisis Hits Local Airport
Burbank's struggles reflect a broader national air traffic control staffing crisis that has been years in the making. The facility currently has only 34 certified controllers, well below its authorized strength of 51.
The pandemic-era hiring freeze created a gap in the pipeline that the FAA is now struggling to fill, even as air travel demand has surged back to pre-pandemic levels.
Impact on Travel and Operations
Travelers are already feeling the effects, with increased flight delays and potential disruptions to holiday travel. The reduced arrival rates mean fewer planes can land per hour, creating bottlenecks that ripple across the national airspace system.
Airport officials express growing frustration with the FAA's inability to resolve what they see as a predictable and solvable problem.
Call for Immediate Action
Controllers and aviation experts are calling for emergency measures to address the shortage, including accelerated hiring and training programs, improved working conditions, and better retention strategies to prevent experienced controllers from leaving.
As one veteran controller put it, "We can't continue like this. Either they fix the staffing problem, or we're going to see more serious incidents. It's not a question of if, but when."
