FAA job cuts raise concerns over air safety, union claims

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has cut about 400 jobs, including aviation safety assistants and maintenance mechanics, which support safety inspectors and airport operations. The union claims these cuts could impact air safety oversight. FAA officials maintain that no critical safety personnel were laid off. They state that the cuts primarily affected probationary employees, representing less than 1% of the FAA's workforce. Public confidence in air travel has declined following a recent midair collision. A poll shows that only 64% of U.S. adults now view plane travel as safe, down from 71% last year.