Additionally, DOT and the National Association of Air Traffic Controllers, the air traffic controllers' union, struck a deal for further incentives to keep senior controllers in the ranks for longer.

The FAA did not agree to a recorded interview for this story, but in a written statement it said that growing the controller workforce is “a top priority for the FAA.” It also highlighted that more than 8,300 people recently qualified to take an aptitude test, which is an early step in the process of becoming a controller.