Are DOGE layoffs hitting the FAA? What to know and how it could affect flights.

The Trump Administration and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency's chainsaw approach to layoffs has touched nearly every corner of the federal government, including the Federal Aviation Administration, which oversees aviation safety and the national airspace.

While the layoffs haven't affected air traffic controllers directly, many stakeholders worry that they could still have knock-on effects that strain an agency that is already chronically understaffed.

Here's what to know about where things stand.

Have there been mass layoffs at FAA?

Yes. About 400 staffers at the Federal Aviation Administration were laid off in February.

David Spero, national president of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, a union that represents about 11,000 FAA and Defense Department employees who support air traffic controllers, previously told USA TODAY that those employees included administrative and logistics technicians, environmental compliance workers, aeronautical information specialists and maintenance mechanics responsible for the upkeep of grounds, roads and facilities.

Is it still safe to fly with reduced FAA staffing?

Yes. The U.S. aviation system remains incredibly safe, and flying itself is the safest mode of transportation.

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How do these firings impact air traffic controllers and aviation safety inspectors?

Air traffic controllers were not included in the layoffs at the FAA, nor were other safety-critical professionals like inspectors. However, union representatives previously said that the layoffs meant those safety-critical employees would be doing their jobs with less support from different parts of the agency.

Will air traffic controllers be able to handle the workload with fewer staff?

Air traffic control staffing has been a long-standing issue at the FAA. While the layoffs are not helping to address that situation, they are also not changing the status quo in the nation's air traffic control towers.

Could these firings lead to an increase in near-misses or runway incidents?

It's too soon to say how the firings will affect aviation safety, but because they did not, at least initially, impact frontline FAA safety employees, it may be hard to connect any future uptick in aviation safety incidents directly to the layoffs.

Will flight schedules be affected?

Air traffic control short staffing has been a long-known issue at the FAA, and aviation professionals say its greatest impact on travelers is on schedules, not on safety.

Flights could also be affected if maintenance technicians cannot repair crucial air traffic control equipment because that could lead controllers to impose restrictions on air traffic in areas where optimal equipment like radar or instrument landing systems are out of service.

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Are airlines concerned about operational disruptions?

Airline executives have been warning about the potential for operational disruptions due to FAA staffing even before the layoffs occurred.

“The FAA is by far our biggest challenge. On blue sky days last year, so days when there is no weather in the system, 68% of our delays were because of air traffic control restrictions," Scott Kirby, United Airlines' CEO said in a statement. “The FAA when they’re short staffed, it doesn’t make it less safe. What it does is slow down. They cancel flights, they delay flights to keep it safe, but it impacts all of you."

Are foreign airlines affected by US aviation staffing cuts?

It's too soon to say exactly how any airline will be affected by the staff reductions at the FAA, but scheduling concerns like those mentioned above, if equipment isn't in a state of good repair, would affect all airlines that rely on that equipment.

Is there a risk of international travel restrictions due to safety concerns?

There hasn't been any mention of restrictions on U.S. flights by international regulators. Still, if serious safety concerns arise, regulators abroad would be empowered to impose such restrictions on flights operated by U.S. airlines in the future.

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How federal government layoffs are affecting the FAA