An exclusive report by the New York Post claims that on Monday evening between 18:30 to 21:30, flights out of Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) were handled by just one air traffic controller and a trainee. The report quotes a New York-based controller describing the situation as “pure insanity.” It also noted that an FAA spokesperson said that there were at least three controllers scheduled for each hour on Monday night but did not clarify how many of them were fully certified personnel.
The New York Times reported something similar, adding that four people familiar with the situation said that the number of fully certified controllers on duty to manage Newark’s air traffic was sometimes one or two. These figures are shocking because the target number of controllers for Newark to manage traffic in those hours is around 14-15.
You forget the last time ATCs tried to stand up for themselves, Regan fired the entire industry and made the air force pick up the pieces until replacements could be trained. They should be considered as invalueble to society as doctors, but just like teachers, their industry is turbo fucked by their own managment.
What they dont talk about much though is that many of those same atcs that got fired got rehired. Its such a specialized job and so few are able to do it that they really dont have a choice.
Yeah but Reagan is dead this time!
I’ll drink to that