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Over 90% of U.S. airport towers are understaffed, data shows

Less than 10% of the nation's airport terminal towers have enough air traffic controllers to meet a set of standards set by a working group that included the FAA and the controllers' union.

The issue has received renewed scrutiny following Wednesday night's midair collision between an American Airlines flight and a Black Hawk Army helicopter near Reagan National Airport outside Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people. Only one air traffic control worker was managing the helicopters and some planes from the Reagan National Airport tower at the time of the collision, a job normally done by two people, two sources told CBS News Thursday. "At the onset of the pandemic, in order to protect employees and help ensure continuity of operations, certain activities were eliminated or significantly reduced at FAA's air traffic control (ATC) facilities."

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