Air Traffic Controllers Receive Nearly 3% Pay Bump, But Can't Leave Work Early Under New Deal

Air traffic controllers are set to receive a 2.8% pay increase under a new agreement between the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) and federal transportation officials. The deal follows a 3.8% pay adjustment approved by Congress in April, with 1% paid immediately and the remainder initially withheld. The new terms, announced Friday, will require controllers to badge in and out of control facilities, effectively allowing monitoring of time worked. The change comes after intense scrutiny of safety involving the deadly Air Canada Express Flight 8646 incident at LaGuardia Airport in more than three decades. Two controllers had left early and were dismissed for timecard fraud. The revised terms start October 18 and are retroactive to the beginning of the year.