By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The nominee selected by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the Transportation Department is set to address a Senate committee on Wednesday, emphasizing a commitment to restoring global trust in U.S. aircraft manufacturer Boeing following a mid-air emergency in 2024.
In a statement obtained by Reuters, Sean Duffy, a former U.S. House lawmaker, expressed his intention to collaborate with Congress and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to bolster confidence in Boeing and ensure the safety of the skies.
The FAA continues to uphold increased oversight of Boeing following an incident where a door panel lacking four bolts detached from a new Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft mid-flight. As a precaution, Boeing has been restricted from escalating production beyond 38 MAX planes monthly. Boeing has refrained from immediate commentary on the matter.
Amidst these developments, FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker is set to step down on Jan. 20, with Deputy FAA Administrator Katie Thomson having recently departed from the agency. President Trump has yet to announce a successor to lead the department.
Trump disclosed his nomination of Steve Bradbury, a former DOT general counsel, to serve as the deputy DOT secretary over the weekend. Duffy is poised to tackle a range of aviation-related concerns, including the persistent shortage of air traffic controllers, aging FAA infrastructure, and a string of concerning near-miss incidents.
The FAA is currently experiencing a deficit of approximately 3,000 controllers compared to staffing objectives, with around 10,600 certified controllers in total. In response to the shortage, the FAA has extended reductions to minimum flight requirements at congested airports in the New York City area through October 2025.
Ensuring the safety of aviation is paramount, as emphasized in Duffy’s written statement, where he stressed the urgent need for additional air traffic controllers in the U.S. “In aviation, safety will remain the top priority. America needs more air traffic controllers,” the statement reads.
Furthermore, Duffy highlighted Trump’s commitment to prioritizing the Department of Transportation and investing in the revitalization of the nation’s deteriorating infrastructure. He pledged to streamline bureaucratic processes hindering critical infrastructure projects and address the alarming increase in traffic fatalities following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which surged to levels not seen since 2005, remaining substantially higher than pre-pandemic figures.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chris Reese and Stephen Coates)
