The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has commissioned new global research into the growing issue of understaffing of air traffic controllers (ATCOs), working in partnership with the Centre for Future Work.
The research will examine the scale, causes and consequences of understaffing in air traffic control operations worldwide – an escalating issue placing increasing strain on the safety, efficiency and reliability of global aviation, and raising serious concerns about the resilience of safety-critical operations under sustained pressure.
“Air traffic controllers are the backbone of safe functioning of aviation systems,” said Sara Nelson, Chair of the ITF’s Civil Aviation Section. “Air traffic control depends on a highly skilled workforce operating in complex, high-pressure environments, where staffing levels must be constantly monitored to ensure sustainable workloads, avoid fatigue and maintain safety. Yet in many countries, inadequate workforce planning is intensifying these pressures, contributing to a widening gap between staffing needs and capacity.”
What we are seeing in air traffic control reflects a wider trend across transport – where failure to prioritise decent work, training and workforce planning is creating systemic vulnerabilities.
“The ITF has commissioned this research to build a clearer global picture of these risks, and to ensure they are properly understood and addressed before they escalate further. In aviation, those vulnerabilities can accumulate in ways that increase operational risk, placing additional strain on safety-critical decision-making and reducing the margin for error in already complex systems.”
Jim Stanford, Economist and Director of the Centre for Future Work, said: “There is growing concern about shortages of air traffic controllers in many countries, but limited global analysis of the problem. This project will bring together new evidence to better understand its causes and consequences.”
The study will provide one of the most comprehensive global assessments to date of the ATCO workforce crisis. It will also identify key priorities and recommendations for governments, regulators and industry stakeholders. The report is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
