The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has terminated over 100 probationary employees, including personnel responsible for producing air traffic navigation maps, raising alarms about aviation safety. The layoffs, part of broader federal workforce reductions, targeted roles deemed non-critical by the FAA—a claim disputed by unions and affected staff.
These employees are vital to frontline safety and the entire aviation ecosystem,said Dave Spero, National President of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS). The FAA’s Air Traffic Organization en route charting group, which updates navigation charts used nationwide, lost multiple team members. One terminated employee warned,
Mistakes will happen if maps aren’t maintained.
Charles Spitzer-Stadtlander, a defense program lead, received an abrupt termination email after receiving an excellentperformance review.
Public safety doesn’t stop during government shutdowns,he stated, emphasizing his role’s critical nature. The FAA has not commented on individual cases, but the layoffs have ignited fears of operational gaps.
- 132 probationary employees terminated
- ATO en route charting group impacted
- Terminations followed late-night emails
With aviation safety at stake, critics argue these cuts risk destabilizing systems relied on by millions of travelers. The FAA maintains no essential roles were affected, but internal dissent and pending appeals suggest turbulence ahead.