US lawmakers urge FAA to pause SMART AI air traffic tool

More than two dozen US lawmakers are calling on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to pause the rollout of SMART (Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories), a new artificial intelligence tool. The system, which began limited operations on September 21, 2026, at Reagan National, Washington Dulles, and Baltimore/Washington International airports, uses approximately 200 data streams to forecast congestion and suggest scheduling changes.

In a letter addressed to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford, representatives including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and April McClain Delaney requested detailed information regarding safety testing, staff training, and accountability protocols. Lawmakers expressed concerns over how the system performs during severe weather or equipment outages and noted that the National Air Traffic Controllers Association has not been involved in the tool's design or implementation.

The FAA maintains that the SMART technology does not replace air traffic controllers, stating that agency staff review all recommendations and local leaders retain the authority to accept or reject them.