FAA's head of air traffic retires early as agency replaces senior managers at Reagan National Airport

Tim Arel, the head of the Federal Aviation Administration's Air Traffic Organization, will retire early as part of the second round of buyouts at the Department of Transportation. 

Arel, who has been working at the agency for four decades, had planned to retire at the end of 2025 but will now depart in the coming months to ensure a smooth transition, the FAA told CBS News in a statement.

As the chief operation officer of the Air Traffic Organization, Arel is responsible for ensuring the safety of air traffic services for approximately 50,000 aircraft operating every day.