Duffy: FAA to reduce flights at Newark Liberty; offer bonus to air traffic controllers
The FAA and major airlines will meet Thursday to discuss the issues plaguing air travel.
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The Federal Aviation Administration and major airlines will meet again in Washington, D.C., on Thursday after thousands of delays and cancellations at Newark Liberty International Airport.
That meeting follows a closed-door session on Wednesday focused on flight restrictions at the airport.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also appeared on Capitol Hill Wednesday.
"I can't fix this in a couple of months. This is going to take us a year, two years, three years," he told members of Congress.
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Duffy said the FAA plans to reduce the number of flights at the Newark airport and improve telecommunications by replacing old equipment.
"So, if you book your flight, that flight's going to fly. You don't have people at the airport for two, four, six hours and then a flight is canceled. So we're working through that now," he said.
The secretary also said he began addressing the air traffic controller shortage by hiring more air traffic controllers and offering bonuses to those working more than 25 years.
"I've offered to pay a bonus to air traffic controllers to not retire after 25 years, but to stay on the job. We're going to pay them 20% up front, cash and every year they stay we're going to pay them," he said.
He added that they'll have more information about the progress they've made within the next week or two.
