President Donald Trump announced on March 17 the nomination of Bryan Bedford, CEO of Republic Airways, to serve as administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as the agency faces scrutiny over aviation safety concerns and staffing shortages.
Trump said that Bedford would work with Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy “to strongly reform the Agency, safeguard our exports, and ensure the safety of nearly one billion annual passenger movements.”
Bedford, who has led Republic Airways for more than 20 years, has overseen the airline’s expansion into one of the largest regional carriers in North America. The airline operates more than 900 daily flights for major U.S. carriers, including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines.
His nomination received praise from the U.S. Travel Association, a leading industry group that advocates for the travel sector.
If confirmed by the Senate, Bedford will take over an agency that has been without a permanent leader since Trump was sworn in on January 20.
The FAA has been under the interim leadership of Deputy Administrator Chris Rocheleau following the resignation of Mike Whitaker, who stepped down the same day that Trump took office.
If approved, Bedford will oversee several key regulatory decisions, including whether to allow Boeing to expand production of its 737 Max beyond the current cap of 38 planes per month and whether to approve two new variants of the aircraft.
Duffy has emphasized the need for reforms, stating that Boeing has “lost its way and lost the trust of the American people.”
He has also signaled that the administration will seek congressional approval for significant investments to modernize the nation’s air traffic control infrastructure.
The FAA is currently facing a shortage of approximately 3,500 air traffic controllers, with many controllers working six-day weeks and mandatory overtime to cover gaps.
