Hundreds Fired at U.S. Aviation Safety Agency, Union Claims

In the wake of a fatal mid-air collision in Washington, D.C., the Trump administration has initiated the dismissal of hundreds of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees, according to the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS) union. The layoffs, impacting mostly probationary employees who have been with the agency for less than a year, were communicated via email late Friday night, Alex Spero, the head of PASS, disclosed.

This move is part of a cost-cutting initiative spearheaded by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), which targets significant reductions in the federal workforce. Spero branded the firings as “shameful” and stressed that they would exacerbate the burden on an already overstretched workforce.

The BBC has sought comments from the FAA and the Department of Transport.

Spero’s statement highlighted that the cuts affect various personnel, including systems specialists, safety inspectors, maintenance mechanics, and administrative staff. He condemned the decision as “unconscionable,” particularly following three fatal aircraft accidents in the past month, including the crash near Ronald Reagan Airport that claimed 67 lives.

Jason King, one of the affected employees, expressed concerns to WUSA9, a CBS affiliate, about the potential risks to aviation safety. King, who played a direct role in addressing safety issues at the FAA, argued that reducing personnel involved with air safety jeopardizes public trust and increases the risk of future accidents.

“Aviation safety should never be seen as a mere budgetary line item,” he stated.

In a related development, a team from Elon Musk’s SpaceX is scheduled to visit the FAA on Monday to propose enhancements to the U.S. air traffic control system, following the January collision in Washington, D.C. While the National Transportation Safety Board has yet to determine the collision’s cause, reports suggest that staffing levels at the airport’s air traffic control were below normal on the evening of the incident.

Transport Secretary Sean Duffy stated that the visit by the SpaceX team would provide insight into the current system and help develop a “new, world-class air traffic control system.” He also plans to visit the FAA Academy later this week to further understand the training processes and ensure that the most qualified personnel guide U.S. aircraft.

Controversially, President Trump last month implied that diversity programs implemented by previous administrations may have compromised hiring standards, potentially influencing the recent plane crash.

In a broader sweep, the Trump administration has mandated that government agencies terminate nearly all probationary employees who have yet to secure job protection, potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of federal workers. Notable among the recent dismissals are half of the Centers for Disease Control’s Epidemic Intelligence Service officers, known as “disease detectives,” who play critical roles in managing major disease outbreaks.

Moreover, President Trump has requested the Supreme Court’s permission to dismiss the head of an independent ethics agency that safeguards whistleblower rights, marking the beginning of what may be a series of legal challenges related to the administration’s recent executive actions.

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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, bbc.com