US air traffic controllers left work early before fatal crash. The FAA wants them fired
Two pilots died after their Air Canada Express plane collided with a fire truck at New York’s LaGuardia Airport in March
The US Federal Aviation Administration is taking steps to fire two air traffic controllers determined to have left their shifts early before an Air Canada Express plane collided with a fire truck at New York’s LaGuardia Airport in March, according to people familiar with the matter.
The moves are in keeping with a broader push by the Trump administration to crack down on controllers leaving shifts early or abusing sick leave, said the people, who asked to remain anonymous because the information is not public.
“The FAA is committed to holding employees accountable, and we will not compromise the safety or efficiency of the National Airspace System,” the agency said in an emailed statement.
The regulator said it was meanwhile staffing up its controller workforce through hiring.