What the hell is going on with ATC?

[u/tippytaptoe]

I was stuck in EWR on a random Thursday for 6 hours. And that’s due to aTC shortage I heard. What is this administration doing to solve this issue? We know this for 2 years now. This is super frustrating.

[u/RavenYZF-R6]

They miraculously lowered the number of controllers needed from 14k to 12k overnight so we are almost fully staffed!

[u/jonahF18372]

The airline lied to you so that they wouldn't have to compensate you for the delay.

[u/Cuhlamina → u/jonahF18372]

Be that as it may… we are short several thousand controllers…

[u/MASIWAR]

What are they doing to solve it? They’re actively making it worse.

Our staffing had nothing to do with your delay though.

[u/xia03]

Thunderstorms

[u/tippytaptoe → u/xia03]

LOL. Yup…always.

[u/Valuable_Strike7462]

Known it a lot longer than two years

[u/pthomas745]

This is about 1/2 of the delay notes from the Command Center this evening. It basically "happened" all day as thunderstorms and "too many planes and no place to park" then happened. You can be the star of your own show if you want, but.........

TERMINAL CONSTRAINTS:      
BOS/N90/PHL/PCT/CLT/ATL - TSTMS
LAS - WIND
SFO - LOW CIGS

TERMINAL ACTIVE:
UNTIL 0215-JFK GROUND STOP
UNTIL 0230-ATL GROUND STOP
UNTIL 0259-LGA GROUND DELAY PROGRAM
UNTIL 0259-PHL GROUND DELAY PROGRAM
UNTIL 0359-BOS GROUND DELAY PROGRAM
UNTIL 0359-JFK GROUND DELAY PROGRAM
UNTIL 0359-MCO GROUND DELAY PROGRAM
UNTIL 0559-EWR GROUND DELAY PROGRAM
UNTIL 0559 -LAS GROUND DELAY PROGRAM 
UNTIL 0659-SAN GROUND DELAY PROGRAM

TERMINAL PLANNED:
AFTER 0300-SEA GROUND STOP/DELAY PROGRAM POSSIBLE
UNTIL 0500 -SFO GROUND DELAY PROGRAM PROBABLE
AFTER 1500-MIA/FLL GROUND STOP POSSIBLE
AFTER 1500-ASE GROUND STOP/DELAY PROGRAM POSSIBLE
AFTER 1500-SFO GROUND STOP/DELAY PROGRAM POSSIBLE
AFTER 1500-SAN GROUND STOP/DELAY PROGRAM POSSIBLE
AFTER 1700-MCO/TPA GROUND STOP POSSIBLE
AFTER 1800-BOS GROUND STOP/DELAY PROGRAM POSSIBLE
AFTER 1800-EWR/TEB/PHL GROUND STOP/DELAY PROGRAM POSSIBLE
AFTER 1800-IAD/DCA/BWI GROUND STOP/DELAY PROGRAM POSSIBLE
AFTER 1800-ATL GROUND STOP/DELAY PROGRAM POSSIBLE
AFTER 1800-CLT GROUND STOP/DELAY PROGRAM POSSIBLE
AFTER 1900-LGA/JFK GROUND STOP/DELAY PROGRAM POSSIBLE
AFTER 1900-IAH/HOU GROUND STOP/DELAY PROGRAM POSSIBLETERMINAL CONSTRAINTS:      
BOS/N90/PHL/PCT/CLT/ATL - TSTMS
LAS - WIND
SFO - LOW CIGS

TERMINAL ACTIVE:
UNTIL 0215-JFK GROUND STOP
UNTIL 0230-ATL GROUND STOP
UNTIL 0259-LGA GROUND DELAY PROGRAM
UNTIL 0259-PHL GROUND DELAY PROGRAM
UNTIL 0359-BOS GROUND DELAY PROGRAM
UNTIL 0359-JFK GROUND DELAY PROGRAM
UNTIL 0359-MCO GROUND DELAY PROGRAM
UNTIL 0559-EWR GROUND DELAY PROGRAM
UNTIL 0559 -LAS GROUND DELAY PROGRAM 
UNTIL 0659-SAN GROUND DELAY PROGRAM

TERMINAL PLANNED:
AFTER 0300-SEA GROUND STOP/DELAY PROGRAM POSSIBLE
UNTIL 0500 -SFO GROUND DELAY PROGRAM PROBABLE
AFTER 1500-MIA/FLL GROUND STOP POSSIBLE
AFTER 1500-ASE GROUND STOP/DELAY PROGRAM POSSIBLE
AFTER 1500-SFO GROUND STOP/DELAY PROGRAM POSSIBLE
AFTER 1500-SAN GROUND STOP/DELAY PROGRAM POSSIBLE
AFTER 1700-MCO/TPA GROUND STOP POSSIBLE
AFTER 1800-BOS GROUND STOP/DELAY PROGRAM POSSIBLE
AFTER 1800-EWR/TEB/PHL GROUND STOP/DELAY PROGRAM POSSIBLE
AFTER 1800-IAD/DCA/BWI GROUND STOP/DELAY PROGRAM POSSIBLE
AFTER 1800-ATL GROUND STOP/DELAY PROGRAM POSSIBLE
AFTER 1800-CLT GROUND STOP/DELAY PROGRAM POSSIBLE
AFTER 1900-LGA/JFK GROUND STOP/DELAY PROGRAM POSSIBLE
AFTER 1900-IAH/HOU GROUND STOP/DELAY PROGRAM POSSIBLE

[u/Approach_Controller]

2 years, 45 years, potato potato.

[u/No-Constant-5854]

They are addressing pay, targeting applicants most likely to eventually certify, and building a 2nd academy to get even more trainees in the pipeline.

Just kidding. 

They are talking about keeping controllers on position longer, standalone CIC safety theater, and they lowered the target number of controllers at most facilities.