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I don't know about where you work, but if an employee is caught sleeping on the job where I work, he/she is immediately fired.



Another air traffic controller suspended for sleeping - CNN.com



I understand that some of these air-traffic controllers would be working two shifts on a day with little time to rest between shifts. I understand that on some shifts, the air-traffic contoller would be working solo. But, come on now, the safety of passengers has been jeopardized.



This is truly a wake-up call for somebody.

What do you think?

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along-for-the-ride;1357827 wrote: I don't know about where you work, but if an employee is caught sleeping on the job where I work, he/she is immediately fired.



Another air traffic controller suspended for sleeping - CNN.com



I understand that some of these air-traffic controllers would be working two shifts on a day with little time to rest between shifts. I understand that on some shifts, the air-traffic contoller would be working solo. But, come on now, the safety of passengers has been jeopardized.



This is truly a wake-up call for somebody.

What do you think?


Certainly over here there would be no flights landing at that time so I would guess that the ATCs are on standby.

There are no situations where is would be safe to have such a critical function handled by a person working solo - if that is what is being done then the company is out of order.

Similarly, if the ATCs are working two shifts in a day with little rest time between shifts it is the company's / FAA's fault when they fall asleep for allowing the practice in the first place - this is a front line safety critical post and should be run as such.

Yes, it makes you worry more when you fly-they've upped security here too through the TSA stuff. Made me tell my friend who is a controller-this is my flight this week, tell your friends to watch out for me. (and he will)

I have mixed feeling as a person who work "Grave Yards shift" for many years I understand the hardship of just staying awake. The human body is not geared to be awake at those hours so its a constant fight to do so. If the FAA cut air traffic controls leaving only 1 on late night not the persons fault as I see it but the companies fault.

What the heck were they thinking no planes land or take off from our airports in San Diego between the hours of 11:30pm and 5am just not done. Sometimes they are a little late landing but not often.

along-for-the-ride;1357827 wrote: I don't know about where you work, but if an employee is caught sleeping on the job where I work, he/she is immediately fired.



Another air traffic controller suspended for sleeping - CNN.com



I understand that some of these air-traffic controllers would be working two shifts on a day with little time to rest between shifts. I understand that on some shifts, the air-traffic contoller would be working solo. But, come on now, the safety of passengers has been jeopardized.



This is truly a wake-up call for somebody.

What do you think?


It is considering there were 12 controllers there.

graveyard shift or any shift, its not acceptably, especially when just given a briefing on professionalism.

It's ridiculous to put people on double-shifts and only have a single guy on duty in such a critical job.

LarsMac;1357847 wrote: It's ridiculous to put people on double-shifts and only have a single guy on duty in such a critical job.


there were 12 controllers and 2 managers there.

Remember when reagan broke the air traffic controllers union? Unions aren't just about pay it's also working conditions The consequences when management can impose working conditions and make people work unreasonable shifts are more accidents, at least there were other people on duty. I'd worry about the pilots falling asleep because they aren't getting a long enough break between flights or have two jobs to make ends meet.

Report: Pilots Fell Asleep During Approach To DIA - Denver News Story - KMGH Denver

One in five pilots admit to falling asleep in cockpit | News.com.au

gmc;1357851 wrote: Remember when reagan broke the air traffic controllers union? Unions aren't just about pay it's also working conditions The consequences when management can impose working conditions and make people work unreasonable shifts are more accidents, at least there were other people on duty. I'd worry about the pilots falling asleep because they aren't getting a long enough break between flights or have two jobs to make ends meet.

Report: Pilots Fell Asleep During Approach To DIA - Denver News Story - KMGH Denver

One in five pilots admit to falling asleep in cockpit | News.com.au


It's one thing to do so when the 'plane's on autopilot in the middle of a twelve hour flight - a completely different proposition when you're on landing approach and miss all of the set markers.

Where is the official body set up to control flight safety and what are they doing about it?

TSA announces new rules for air traffic controllers | AHN



I hope this will not be an issue in the future.

Whoever is making the schedules should be fired. If they're still falling asleep when they have better working conditions then fire the ATCs on the spot.

I'm not an american but I remember all the controversy at the time Reagan broke the union. (he and Thatcher were both at it as it happens which is why it sticks in my mind)

Air Traffic Controllers: New FAA Contract Will Lead to Longer Hours, Fatigue - Politics | Republican Party | Democratic Party | Political Spectrum - FOXNews.com

WASHINGTON — Air traffic controllers said Friday they will be forced to work even when they are tired under a contract the Federal Aviation Administration plans to impose this weekend.

Controller fatigue may be an issue in the investigation of the recent airplane crash in Kentucky that killed 49.


Paul Rinaldi, NATCA executive vice president, said the new work rules will result in tired controllers working when they should not.

On Friday, the FAA's air traffic manager at Washington Center said he would discipline any controller who called in sick because he was fatigued, Rinaldi said.


OK that article was in 2006 but the same argument has been going on for years. The assumnption that any kind of employee is a lazy greedy bastard that needs to be made to produce the goods seems to be a theme of management nowadays. I think things started going downhill when people became human resources - resources are used up and thrown away when yiou are finished with them.

"I think things started going downhill when people became human resources - resources are used up and thrown away when yiou are finished with them."

Sad, but true.

One of the articles I read indicated that part of the problem was that controllers were swapping shifts in order to get long weekends. It said that some would arrange for double shifts without any rest in between.

Wandrin;1357955 wrote: One of the articles I read indicated that part of the problem was that controllers were swapping shifts in order to get long weekends. It said that some would arrange for double shifts without any rest in between.


This is a problem only if it effects job performance. In some cases, evidently, it did.

Wandrin;1357955 wrote: One of the articles I read indicated that part of the problem was that controllers were swapping shifts in order to get long weekends. It said that some would arrange for double shifts without any rest in between.


You can only swap shifts with the agreement of your employer - it is they who set the standards and determine what is acceptable practice as it should be the FAA who dictate what is safe practice.