Air Traffic Control Issues

[Groundfeeder]

I applied not long before Covid, got offered an interview but couldn’t make it. Didn’t actually fail the interview, just couldn’t take the day off work to attend. They operate a two strikes and you’re out policy in that if they then offer you a second interview and you can’t make that either you are banned from reapplying for life.

Maybe that is a reasonable policy, maybe it isn’t

(I didn’t bother asking for a second as work was being difficult and the lack of flexibility from Airservices combined with needing to travel from the NT and the need to avoid the blacklist made me not attempt to progress further)

Ditto Pancy, but a longer time ago, which would have required us leaving picturesque Whyalla.

 

[Quickstatus]

Seems AFF not only has armchair Airline CEOs but also armchair ATC managers.

The world would be a better place if they listened to us at AFF.

 

[jrfsp]

Not just Airservices Australia- there’s a global shortage after COVID - look at what’s happening in the US - they have a worse shortage than Australia

 

[Quickstatus]

Sunday 9August
Air Traffic Flow plan

MEL affected by Weather
GDP = Ground delay program = Holding aircraft at origin until an arrival slot appears.

 

[Dmac59]

Another near miss at SYD.

Another near-miss at Sydney Airport injures crew member

The Jetstar pilot told passengers it was ‘only by chance that at the last minute’ they were able to stop.

7news.com.au

(Edit: removed ATC comment)

Though the JQ pilot comments implied the QR did not follow instructions.
Maybe pilot error.

 

[Melburnian1]

My reading suggests that the problem is not ATC taking sickies, nor is ATC holding the travelling public hostage.

An Australian-domiciled pilot said to me a couple of weeks ago 'there's an element of CFMEU-style tactics in what the Sydney air traffic controllers are doing'.

Sickies appear to peak on Fridays and Saturdays, and during school holidays. Amazing.

No one denies controlling aircraft must be a very stressful, fast paced job. I once worked with a male who was bright, but had applied and been rejected because he couldn't get his head around the multiple types of separation needed to be able to process.

However many other jobs are arguably equally stressful: paramedics, surgeons, emergency department nurses, train controllers, firemen at times, police, dangling from the Bolte Bridge in Melbourne to remove graffiti painted by Pam The Bird, crane operators on building sites, heavy vehicle drivers to name a few.

These people signed up for very well remunerated positions in Sydney yet it seems taking sickies (of which they have an unlimited number available each year) is hugely disadvantaging passengers, and causing airlines to waste fuel. On occasion, restricted numbers of movements beyond hourly and quarter hour movement limitations may see airline crews having to spend an overnight away from where their roster says they should be.