I'm a pilot. One thing that really hits me hard is when people say, "Thank you for getting us here safely." I usually reply, "vested interest, but you're welcome." There are SO many other factors that have to work for us to get there safely. And the fact that we have the success rate we do given the complexity, is nothing short of a modern miracle. Even on the shortest flights, say, Laguardia to Buffalo, you're talking to ramp, ground, tower, departure, center, then higher center, then maybe a few more center controllers, then approach, then tower, then ground. A tiny, half hour flight, and you're talking to a dozen or more different controllers have a hand in your safety.

All I have to do is worry about my plane and listen to talking on the radio and do what I'm told. The real hard hitter is that if I mess up, there's a good chance I don't have to live with it. Controllers do. And if something bad happens, they have to keep going and keep everyone else safe before they can be relieved.

So yeah. Next time you're upset about a delay, remember how much is going on behind the scenes, and that a lot of times, delays are caused because it was that or accept lower safety standards.

"I'm I fighting with the girlfriend AND the wife"
10/10 i laughed.

As a retired controller this guy did a good job explaining the system. People need to realize what these folks deal with daily. The system is safe, but things need to be replaced. That is the fault of every administration since 1981. We are now reaping what the government has failed to address.

As someone who works in the Aerospace industry, I’ve got nothing but mad respect to this guy and all ATC’s throughout the US.

I'm an airline captain with over 20 years in the industry. I've always had nothing but the utmost respect for controllers. They have a really tough job that I could never do. I'm glad they have the option to take trauma leave. They need to be able to take that time to get back in the right mindset. Kudos to this controller for recognizing his need for it. I suspect it takes a great deal of courage to put in for that.

Glad there's articulate professionals such as this gentleman manning the TRACONs.

I worked with Jon many years ago. He is a stud controller and good guy. Very good interview brother

This man is the true example of a professional.  We need to have more respect for the men and women who do this job.

I’m a pilot and I agree with him. It’s not ideal, but it still is safe.

I did some work for a former air traffic controller years ago. One of the most interesting people I've ever met. Quirky, precise, very particular. I'm sure what I imagine that job to be is not a tenth of what it's actually like

Smart guy, thoughtful, articulate...

Thanks for providing the insights as a Air-traffic controller. Thanks for keeping the airspace safe.

For those wondering... this is the full version of the small 7 minute excerpt WSJ uploaded last week....
Thanks to WSJ....(most of you anyways.)

We need more ATC's. Theyre angels for our pilots

As a pilot that often flies in NY airspace, I am appreciative of this interview.

"The tower is an upside-down cake, roger?" Is just as accurate as it is funny. These people are amazing.

Thank you Mr Air Traffic Controller, I am grateful for your hard work and dedication, you inspire confidence and I really hope you get some rest and they address the staffing shortage.

"Why is it a problem for airtraffic controllers to not have functioning radars, radios, and backup?"

Excellent question WSJ editorial team! Really earning your stripes with that one. 👏 👏 👏

Bless this man. This is why I love aviation. Guy is rational and shys away from assanign questions. Praise you sir.

Interesting person. being able to explain something so complex and demanding human understanding. love the beginning statement of saving more people in one shift than….. He taught me a lot.