Understaffed, overworked: India's looming air traffic control crisis

The recent collision between a civilian aircraft and a military helicopter near Reagan National Airport, close to Washington DC, which killed 67 people, has highlighted systemic air traffic control (ATC) staffing shortages in the United States – a crisis mirrored in India’s aviation sector.

The situation is quite dire in India. While air traffic controller officers’ (ATCO) numbers doubled from 2,305 (2014) to 4,554 (2023), rapid airport expansion has outpaced recruitment. By the end of 2024, there was a requirement of 5,428 ATCOs, a 70 per cent increase from current levels, to manage 1.2 million annual flights at major hubs like Delhi and Mumbai.

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Not enough recruitment

However, the pace of recruitment and training has not kept up with this demand, leading to a substantial shortfall. India is expected to add another 20 airports shortly, which means that the pace of ATCO recruitment will always lag considerably behind the expansion of airports planned.

The implications of this shortage are far-reaching. Overworked controllers, stretched thin across multiple duties, are more susceptible to fatigue-induced errors.

For instance, Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport handles approximately 1,000 flights daily, requiring 455 ATCOs to manage its airspace effectively, per historical benchmarks. But as of last year, Mumbai operated with about 300 ATCOs, which has seen limited improvement despite national recruitment drives.

The near misses

This shortfall has led to some unfortunate near misses on air.

In June 2024, an IndiGo flight 5053 from Indore to Mumbai was cleared to land on Runway 27, while simultaneously, an Air India aircraft Flight 657 (Mumbai to Thiruvananthapuram) was in take-off roll on the same runway.

The two planes came perilously close, with the Air India flight lifting off mere seconds before the IndiGo aircraft touched down. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) swiftly initiated an investigation and de-rostered the responsible ATC personnel.

Overworked ATC staff

Way back in 2015, there were five near-collisions in Mumbai airspace, mainly because of overburdened controllers handling 30–45 flights an hour, which exceeds the global safe limit of 10-12 flights an hour. The controllers are also subjected to mandatory overtime and 12-hour shifts, with staff denied leaves to cover gaps.

According to analysts, the Mumbai airport’s Terminal 1 redevelopment (starting November 2025) and the NMIA’s (Navi Mumbai International Airport) phased launch are expected to increase air traffic complexity. NMIA will handle 10–12 million passengers annually by December 2025.

This near-misses are not an isolated event. Aviation experts have long sounded alarms about the mounting pressure on India's ATCs.

Indian safety challenges

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) faces a daunting challenge: while air traffic has surged by 8-10 per cent annually, the recruitment and training of controllers have lagged. The rigorous training process, spanning two to four years, means that addressing the current shortfall is not an overnight endeavour.

Moreover, existing controllers are often burdened with extended shifts, mandatory overtime and denied leave requests, leading to fatigue -- a known precursor to errors. Despite DGCA’s 2023 guidelines capping shifts at 12 hours, enforcement remains inconsistent. Rosters are often published late, disrupting rest schedules.

Poor salaries

Even the salary levels for such a key role are unsatisfactory. The average salary earned by air traffic control officers in India is around $14,000 per year compared with around $137,500 in the US, around $100,000 in the UK and around $46,000 in China.

The DGCA’s fatigue management policies and AAI’s hiring drives are insufficient to bridge the gap. As air traffic grows 8-10 per cent annually, understaffed ATC teams could lead to more near-misses or catastrophic accidents, undermining public confidence in aviation safety.

Dire situation in US

Surprisingly, the situation plays out similarly in the US. The US air traffic control system has been stretched nearly to its breaking point by a decades-long staffing shortage. Approximately 50 per cent of new hires are expected to drop out of the training programme before they reach the point of managing air traffic, which typically takes around three years.

In 2024, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) accelerated its hiring efforts, bringing on board 2,000 qualified candidates. However, this number barely compensates for the 1,100 controllers who departed due to retirement or stress. Experts predict achieving complete staffing levels may take eight to nine years.

Reports submitted anonymously to NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System revealed at least 10 instances in the past year where controllers voiced concerns regarding staffing levels, work hours or fatigue.

Mitigating measures

While there is a shortage of ATCOs, several measures are being taken to modernise and make air traffic control more efficient.

As of January 1, air traffic controllers can reduce the lateral separation between two aircraft from 10 to 5 nautical miles. This optimisation of airspace allows for more efficient routing and increased capacity.

All radars have been upgraded, most with Mode-S, which employs modern technologies. Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) has brought the majority of airspace under reliable surveillance coverage. Area control centres now have modern automation systems integrating surveillance feeds from multiple sources.

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India’s safety steps

India has established a central air traffic flow management facility where officials from Air Navigation Services, the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army collaborate to enable direct routing when restricted airspace is not in use.

The AAI has conceptualised FIAN and is set to introduce Air Traffic Flow Management over busy routes, dedicated helicopter routes, automation systems at 35 non-metro control towers and the use of the Space-Based Augmentation System (GAGAN).

Accelerated hiring needed

The Airports Authority of India has also drawn plans to upgrade ATM infrastructure, shifting from ground-based to satellite-based navigation.

However, these efforts could go waste if human infrastructure cannot keep pace with India’s aviation boom. Addressing this crisis demands accelerated hiring and better working to prevent tragedies like New York’s collision from recurring on Indian soil.