The Federal Aviation Administration is bracing for a wave of resignations, with over 1,200 employees expected to leave—putting more pressure on an already strained air travel system.
A leaked internal presentation, obtained by The Wall Street Journal, warned that “employees are departing the agency in mass quantities across all skill levels.” Another document confirmed more than 1,200 staff could exit under a Trump administration deferred resignation program.
This mass departure threatens to push the FAA below legally required staffing levels. While air traffic controllers and airline inspectors aren’t eligible for the program, losing other skilled workers could still disrupt daily operations.
The FAA claims the projected resignations are “theoretical” and said that even if they occur, they would represent just 3% of its 46,000-person workforce. The agency insists there will be “no impact” on critical functions.
But those on the inside say the problems are mounting. Delays, radar outages, software glitches, and a shortage of controllers have already caused chaos. Earlier this year, the FAA was forced to cut flights out of Newark Airport due to overwhelmed systems.
At the center of this growing crisis is Elon Musk and his so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has shaken up agencies with aggressive cost-cutting.
One internal FAA staffer claimed that someone from Musk’s company, SpaceX, threatened FAA employees who pushed back on integrating Musk’s Starlink satellite network into U.S. airspace.
Hundreds of probationary FAA workers were fired and then rehired in a chaotic shuffle in recent months, further damaging morale.
Since Trump returned to power, the FAA has also seen a rise in aviation incidents, including a collision between a military helicopter and a passenger plane near Washington.
While the administration is asking Congress for billions to modernize the air traffic system and boost hiring, the clock is ticking—and the skies aren’t getting any safer.
