America’s air traffic control system has been crying out for modernization for 25 years, yet remains trapped in technological limbo.
The challenge, according to Michael Taylor, senior managing director at analytics firm J.D. Power, lies in the system’s sheer scale and complexity — any meaningful upgrade would require a complete overhaul, carrying enormous risk.
For years, the industry has clung to the old adage: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But that rationale is crumbling as the cracks become impossible to ignore.
“Now things are breaking,” Taylor said.
The warning signs are multiplying.
In April, air traffic controllers at Newark (N.J.) Liberty International Airport lost radar capabilities twice within two weeks. The outages and subsequent FAA flight restrictions have already taken their toll — passenger traffic at Newark has declined, a troubling development for an airport that helps manage what Taylor calls “the world’s most complicated airspace” around New York City.
The aviation industry finds itself caught between maintaining a system that technically functions and embracing the digital transformation it desperately needs. While the current infrastructure keeps planes moving, Taylor argues it operates far below its potential efficiency.
“An upgrade has been overdue for decades,” he said. “Somebody’s got to move a little faster than they’re moving now.”
Despite widespread challenges facing the aviation industry, passenger satisfaction is actually climbing. J.D. Power’s 2025 North America Airline Satisfaction Study reveals overall satisfaction jumped six points from the previous year — a surprising bright spot amid operational struggles.
JetBlue Airways claimed the top spot in business class, thanks largely to its premium “Mint” experience offered on select aircraft and routes. The elevated service sets a new standard for domestic business travel, Taylor noted.
Delta secured second place in the business category, the result of nearly a decade spent training cabin crew to cultivate a welcoming atmosphere aboard its flights. The investment in employee development has clearly paid dividends in passenger perception.
Southwest Airlines dominated the economy and basic economy segments for the fourth straight year, combining competitive pricing with something far more valuable: genuinely friendly service. The airline has mastered what Taylor calls the hiring challenge that stumps many competitors.
The study reveals a counterintuitive truth about air travel satisfaction. Passengers care less about aircraft age or legroom than they do about human interactions throughout their journey — from initial booking to baggage claim.
“That makes a big difference,” Taylor explained. “Having a good attitude with the flying public is something that’s very hard to teach, and so Southwest solves that problem by just saying, ‘Hey, let’s hire friendly people and funny people who want to fly and want to serve our passengers, and it’ll all work out.’ ”
Dan Bubb, a UNLV professor and expert on commercial aviation and airport history, recently flew on American Airlines from Las Vegas to Illinois with a stopover in Dallas. Traveling with his 94-year-old mother and navigating busy terminals, Bubb said his flights were good and his trip seamless.
“I think it may be that airlines are paying attention to the survey data,” said Bubb, a former airline pilot. “They are trying to improve the quality of their product, despite the fact that we are going through challenges right now.”
One such challenge is a shortage of air traffic controllers. While the Trump administration has plans to hire scores of air traffic controllers to fill in the gaps, Bubb said the training process is a long one.
“I know it’s going to be difficult for Americans, but we have to be patient,” he said. “That’s really what it’s going to take is being patient, and then eventually we’ll get these positions filled. It’s not a situation where we can hurry up and fill these things, because the last thing you want to do is put inexperienced air traffic controllers in positions where they might make mistakes.”
He also echoed Taylor’s calls for new equipment.
The FAA has been slowly implementing the Next Generation Air Transportation System, or NextGen, to replace and modernize equipment for years. But NextGen has been hindered by inconsistent funding from the federal government, Bubb said.
“It’s frustrating when you’re trying to overhaul the nation’s air traffic system, and it’s hard to do because people keep cutting your budget,” Bubb said. “I think it’s just time to get the job done.”
In the meantime, he emphasized that air travel remains safe and encouraged people to travel.
However, if they do travel, it’s unlikely to be the enthusiastic and price-blind “revenge travel” that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic — an era Taylor believes is nearing its end.
“They just wanted to get out of Dodge,” Taylor said of revenge travel. “And a lot of them wanted to go to Vegas. And they did, and they have been, and they didn’t really care what the pricing was. They just wanted to be able to do it.”
The end of this post-pandemic-fueled air travel could lead to a potentially rougher year ahead for airlines, he said, as consumers won’t be willing to pay what they had in the past.
People may also be more guarded with their discretionary spending and decide “I don’t need to go to Las Vegas again this year,” Taylor predicted.
“I hate to say that,” he said. “That’s probably going to be the attitude of some people.”
On the other hand, Bubb predicted that Las Vegas would withstand whatever storms may be brewing in the aviation industry.
“I think it will concern passengers,” he said. “But I don’t think it’s going to make them cancel their flights to Las Vegas.”