Democracy Dies in Darkness

New air traffic academy died in Congress despite dire need for more staff

The FAA needs to train more air traffic controllers, but Oklahoma lawmakers opposed a second training facility as a waste of taxpayer money.

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Problems with understaffed air traffic control towers at U.S. airports have been documented for years. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post)
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Oklahoma City is the proud home to the only air traffic controller academy in the nation. And despite decades of warnings about dangerously understaffed control towers, the state’s delegation in Washington says that’s how it should remain.

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Lori Aratani writes about transportation issues, including how people get around -- or don't. Her beat includes airlines and airports, as well as the agencies that oversee them.@loriara
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