ABIA has struggled with staffing in recent years. Multiple flights nearly collided at ABIA in 2023, prompting a push to staff up the airport's air traffic controllers – some of whom were working six-day weeks to make up for staffing shortages.

Ground stops, which were once rare at ABIA, have been issued at least three times in roughly two years. The most recent one in December cited staffing as the reasoning to halt flights at ABIA.