Flight delayed? Air traffic control woes go beyond what FAA bill would fix.

The 2.9 million airline passengers who take to the American skies every day are increasingly grumpy as they face delays, cancellations, and ever-higher fees for things that were once free. The reasons are complex, but when it comes to delays, a key issue is the growing strain on the air traffic control system responsible for preventing collisions among 45,000 daily flights.

Since President Ronald Reagan fired most of the controllers in the United States during a 1981 strike, understaffing has been a challenge. Today controllers are also handling a more complex airspace, including more drones and rocket launches. And they’re doing it without top technology. All but  U.S. airports, for example, track flights with paper strips rather than with an electronic system – a system Canada has used for more than two decades.