Elon Musk called Thursday for retired air traffic controllers to consider returning to work amid staffing shortages — but a federal law means doing so isn't so simple. The big picture: Hiring shortages have long plagued air traffic controllers in already stressful roles overseeing critical airspace,

Musk wants retired air traffic controllers to return to their jobs amid a shortage of qualified professionals.

Elon Musk is pleading with retired air traffic controllers to return to work—despite his DOGE project to slash the number of federal workers. The billionaire admitted there is a “shortage” of the vital workers in an intervention certain to fuel concerns about air safety after a string of incidents including last month’s D.