air-traffic control

American  

[air-traf-ik] / ˈɛərˌtræf ɪk /

noun

1. a government service that facilitates the safe and orderly movement of aircraft within and between airports by receiving and processing data from radar and devices that monitor local weather conditions and by maintaining radio contact with pilots.

---

air-traffic control British  

noun

1. an organization that determines the altitude, speed, and direction at which planes fly in a given area, giving instructions to pilots by radio

---

Other Word Forms

• air-traffic controller
  noun

Etymology

Origin of air-traffic control

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

As Spirit Flight 1833 from Detroit approached Dallas Fort Worth International Airport after midnight, its pilot asked air-traffic control if any other Spirit flights were coming in.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026

The FAA said United’s expansion will stress the Chicago airport’s runway, terminal and air-traffic control systems.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

Some air-traffic control facilities have faced staffing shortages, but Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said LaGuardia is relatively well-staffed with 33 certified controllers, which is four shy of its target.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

BALTIMORE—A “strong odor” at an air-traffic control facility snarled travel in the Washington, D.C., area, according to federal aviation authorities.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 14, 2026

“It’s absolutely disgusting how much better their lifestyles are than ours,” said Dickinson, who worked air-traffic control in the U.S. for 13 years and visited the Sydney tower on a trip two years ago.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 20, 2025