Jackson Shedelbower: Congress needs to clear the runway for O’Hare upgrades

This op-ed originally appeared in The Chicago Tribune.

Earlier this month, Illinois’ U.S. Senate delegation urged the Federal Aviation Administration to supercharge air traffic controller hiring and equipment upgrades at O’Hare — Chicago’s flagship airport. Their request comes after the agency announced plans to reduce flights at the facility, citing its “current infrastructure and staffing resources” as unable to keep pace with rising passenger demand.

The senators are right to champion change at O’Hare International Airport. The airport was recently crowned the busiest airfield in the United States, a distinction driven by record-breaking passenger volumes moving through its terminals. As passenger traffic continues to grow, staffing levels and the performance of air traffic control equipment must keep up. 

Like many airports across the country, air traffic controller staffing is a perennial challenge. O’Hare is operating with skeleton crews that fall roughly 15% below target levels. These shortages have real consequences for travelers — including (famously) long taxi times and delays that stretch for hours. 

Technology is also part of the problem. A 2024 Government Accountability Office report found that more than one-third of the FAA’s systems are unsustainable. Decades-old technology such as paper flight strips, floppy disks and copper wiring are commonly used by aviation staff to guide thousands of flights a day through the city’s airspace. 

The result is predictable. When an already stretched air traffic controller workforce is forced to rely on antiquated equipment, the risk of delays and disruptions rises. Eventually, Uncle Sam must intervene. Schedule suspensions are not just happening in Chicago.

The FAA has also imposed mandatory flight cuts at Newark airport that are set to extend through October because the facility can’t safely handle additional passenger traffic. Like O’Hare, Newark has struggled with controller shortages and aging infrastructure that limit how efficiently aircraft can move through its system.

If these underlying problems remain unresolved, which facility is next on the FAA’s chopping block?

Congress has already taken some steps to remedy this issue. Lawmakers appropriated $12.5 billion last summer to modernize aviation infrastructure and bolster the controller workforce. But completing the overhaul will require additional investment. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy puts that price tag at $19 billion. 

The extra funds would not only replace aging radar and communications systems, but the money would also finance the construction of cutting-edge technology such as smart tarmacs. The upgrade would help controllers monitor aircraft and ground vehicles in real time, preventing conflicts before they occur.  

Many of Illinois’ elected leaders are already on board. Sen. Tammy Duckworth is a champion of aviation reform, repeatedly emphasizing the importance of rebuilding the nation’s air traffic controller workforce. Meanwhile, Sen. Dick Durbin has called for even more funding beyond the $12.5 billion Congress earmarked to go toward the infrastructure modernization drive.

As funding discussions emerge on Capitol Hill, the rest of Illinois’ congressional delegation should give air traffic control modernization efforts some extra thrust. 

Chicago has a reputation for being the crossroads of America. Now, one of the city’s quintessential travel hubs needs modern technology and a fully staffed workforce to continue that legacy. Illinois’ elected leaders should help land the reform in Washington. 

Jackson Shedelbower is the executive director of the Center for Transportation Policy.