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By Doug Cunningham

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association says that while over-scheduling is a big reason so many flights are delayed these days, controller understaffing is also a factor. The union says the number of fully-trained experienced air traffic controllers is at an eleven-year low, with 1100 fewer than were on the job in 2001. At JFK in New York, for example, there are 32 percent fewer controllers while air traffic at JFK has increased by 40 percent since 2001.