WASHINGTON — The administration of President Donald Trump has indicated that none of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) personnel in critical safety roles were terminated during recent cuts to the federal workforce. However, according to the FAA employees’ union and ex-staff members, several positions eliminated played significant roles in supporting safety inspections and airport operations.
Around 400 FAA employees were laid off beginning on Friday, though details regarding the specific individuals affected remain unclear. The union, which represents roughly 130 of the dismissed employees, noted that those let go included aviation safety assistants, maintenance technicians, and nautical information specialists.
These roles are essential for assisting aircraft safety inspectors, maintaining air traffic control facilities, and updating digital flight maps utilized by pilots. Such maps need adjustments based on FAA directives, especially following a recent deadly midair collision involving aircraft in Washington airspace.
FAA Administrator Sean Duffy emphasized over the weekend that no critical air traffic controllers or safety staff were among those dismissed. “We protected roles that are critical to safety,” remarked Halee Dobbins, a spokesperson for the Department of Transportation, on Wednesday. “The layoffs involved primarily probationary employees who had been with the FAA for less than two years, making up less than 1% of the FAA’s over 45,000 workforce.”
Philip Mann, a former certified technician with the FAA, explained that the classification of a role as “critical to safety” often hinges on whether the individual can conduct certified inspections of the associated equipment. Although those who were laid off didn’t perform the inspections themselves, they provided indispensable support for those who did.
“The distinction is often drawn in a somewhat ambiguous manner, where those authorized to certify equipment are deemed to have critical jobs, while those who do not are not,” Mann stated. He also warned that the absence of laid-off personnel could result in serious long-term safety issues, translating to tasks that simply cannot be accomplished.
The firings occur amid a decrease in the public’s confidence regarding air travel safety following a collision in January between a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines jet at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. A poll by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research revealed that only 64% of U.S. adults now perceive airplane travel as “very safe” or “somewhat safe,” a drop from 71% the previous year. Conversely, the percentage of adults considering air travel as very or somewhat unsafe has increased from 12% in 2024 to 20%.
Concerning the layoffs, 18 air traffic control facilities lost maintenance mechanics who were responsible for electronic systems and other facility repairs. David Spero, president of the Professional Aviation Specialists Association, which represents many of the laid-off workers, noted that the maintenance duties carried out by these technicians might now need to fall to certified technicians, who were already facing workload strains.
“All of these employees contribute to the overall safety framework,” Spero explained. “Their absence creates hurdles in fulfilling safety oversight duties.”
The reductions in nautical aviation specialists will result in delays in updating digital maps that pilots rely upon. Spero likened the role of aviation safety assistants to that of a paralegal to a lawyer, handling essential documentation so that inspectors can concentrate on the aircraft. The union reported a cut of 26 assistants, who each typically support about ten safety inspectors simultaneously. This added paperwork pressure on inspectors is likely to prolong the aircraft inspection process.
“Inspections and oversight will inevitably suffer because of these added responsibilities,” Spero warned.
The shortage of certified technicians is concerning, Mann noted, emphasizing that air traffic controllers are already stretched thin. He remarked that there are roughly three technicians for every air traffic controller.
Federal officials have voiced long-held concerns about an overstretched air traffic control system. Major airports that once employed around-the-clock technical coverage no longer have such benefits, heightening worries about safety and efficiency. An incident this past July at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, where a power outage at radar facilities triggered ground stops across several surrounding airports, underscored this vulnerability. There were no technicians on hand with the required expertise to restore functionality.
The union was not privy to the specifics of other roles among those nearly 400 that were terminated, but some staff were involved in programs supporting various government agencies, including a classified early warning radar initiative in Hawaii aimed at identifying incoming cruise missiles.
As Trump works to implement major changes in the early weeks of his second administration—ranging from displacing long-standing agency employees to freezing billions in federal grant allocations—his administration is upholding a pledge to purge the federal framework of what he?abusive practices. This effort is spearheaded by Trump advisor Elon Musk’s newly formed Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.
The swift cuts have left leaders in certain government departments taken aback. In several instances, these dismissals faced immediate backlash, with some employees being directed back to work, notably at the National Nuclear Security Administration, responsible for overseeing the U.S.’s nuclear arsenal.
“I hope that the FAA will reconsider and reinstate those who were let go,” Spero stated. “If the agency genuinely wants to evaluate the government’s size, it should do so in a careful and methodical manner, considering the broader impacts on aviation safety.”
