Airlines say that Florida has become a weak link in the national airspace because of the lack of air traffic controllers.

The FAA said it will add staff at a key air traffic control center in Jacksonville and other places.

FAA officials and representatives of about a dozen airlines agreed on a promise during a two-day meeting. The airlines told the FAA that there will be more flights in Florida.

Air traffic to Florida increased more quickly than other places during the Pandemic, and airlines have scheduled even more flights for this summer. Concerns are being raised about the potential for massive disruptions that could go far beyond the borders of the state.

The FAA agreed to give airlines more information about space launches and other events that can affect routes over Florida. Airlines have been forced to cancel flights because of route closings.

Southwest Airlines blamed bad weather and air traffic control in Florida for cascading problems that caused it to cancel more than 2,000 flights over three days last October. Those and other factors were blamed for a lot of canceled flights last month.

The FAA said it will make more use of alternate routes to keep planes moving after disruptions. The agency will develop a plan for responding to snarls like it does in the New York City area.