Ted Cruz blames feds, not weather, for flight disruptions.

Sen. Ted Cruz Calls Out DOT and FAA for Flight Delays

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) is not buying the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) excuse of blaming weather for flight delays. Instead, he points the finger at staffing levels and inexperience as the real culprits behind the more than 5,400 flight cancellations since Saturday.

“DOT is blaming weather. The reality is DOT has known since March it doesn’t have the controllers to handle air traffic in the Northeast,”

– Sen. Ted Cruz

The ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee took to Twitter to express his frustration, stating that the blame game doesn’t work when the DOT has already admitted fault from the beginning.

Flight Cancellations and Repairs

The series of flight cancellations began on Sunday after the FAA temporarily halted operations at Washington, D.C.-area airports due to a communications system issue. However, departures resumed once the repairs were completed. Following some storms in the New York area, United Airlines had to cancel over 2,200 flights, including nearly 800 on Tuesday. The airline also experienced a 17% cancellation rate and a 34% delay rate on Wednesday.

In March, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg urged airlines to reduce their flight schedules on the East Coast during the summer travel months. This came after the DOT raised concerns about low staffing levels at the New York Terminal Radar Approach Control Facility, which provides airspace support to airports in New York and New Jersey.

Cruz’s Ongoing Concerns

Sen. Cruz continues to raise awareness about the situation. In April, he sent a letter requesting information about the agency’s ability to address congestion and air traffic control shortages. However, progress toward FAA funding reauthorization has been stalled due to a dispute in the Senate transportation committee over measures impacting pilot training. The reauthorization is set to expire in September, and the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee has yet to reschedule the markup.

“If you’re sitting on the tarmac at JFK, LaGuardia, or Newark, you can thank politicians and special interests – who blew up the Committee’s mark up of a bipartisan FAA bill two weeks ago – for putting parochial interests ahead of the efficiency of our nation’s airspace,”

– Sen. Ted Cruz

Sen. Cruz also criticizes the DOT for blaming weather for delays when the staffing at FAA’s air traffic facilities in New York is only at 54%. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby shares similar sentiments, stating that the FAA has historically managed New York weather without severely impacting operations and customers.

The FAA responded to Kirby’s concerns, stating that they are open to collaboration with anyone willing to help solve the problem.

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