Air Traffic Controller Asleep "Willfully," Babbit Tells Congress

At least it was the midnight shift. Which should only reinforce your belief that flying should be done sometime after the airport traffic controller has had a good shave, a muffin and a strong cup of black coffee.

http://scallywagandvagabond.com/2011/04/air-traffic-controller-takes-nap-with-blankie/

I 100% agree with you.

Maybe if the controllers had a union they would have been able to negotiate a work schedule that made some sense in regards to sleep and rest time.

It would seem that everyone hates all public workers. Why? Because the teachers get the summer, bad weather, and holidays and holiday breaks off with pay? Their summer's off are UNPAID.

The American public has bought into - hook, line and sinker - that all workers should work till the drop over dead. We live longer? We live longer but in poor health. We can't work past a certain age because we are not always well. And, here is the American dirty little secret - the workplace for older workers (and that age is getting younger and younger) is NOT a friendly place for older workers. Who loses their jobs first when an employer downsizes? In the private sector it is the OLDER worker - in the public sector with negotiated rights - the older worker fares far better. Are the private sector worker just envious? If so - figure out how to organize your workplace - stop cheering for the demise of the middle class - and benefits that will carry all of us into a livable retirement.

This republican party IS NOT the party of our parents if you grew up in the 50's and 60's. The modern republican party is about taking your money and giving it to businesses by shifting the tax breaks. It is about eliminating all worker protections. The bums that they are talking about INCLUDE YOU. Maybe not in the current discussion - but they are also coming for YOU!!!.

Stop cheering for what they are doing because you can't stand Democrats - the Republicans can't stand you either unless you are RICH.

Slightly off topic, but reading all these "solutions" is really annoying to a thinking person...how many of you calling for "always 2 in a tower" voted in people who want to slash federal jobs and reducing budgets to bare bones? Who do you think is going to be affected? People just like you and me...and the air traffic controllers and those in other safety-related careers. Yes, there are rotten & lazy ones in the bunch...but you'll find those no matter where you look. Grandiose solutions without the wherewithall to back it up just shows the lack of knowing how things REALLY operate in the REAL world! (And yes, I know, controllers will stay on the job if there is a gov't shutdown. But I think they should all stay home even if just for a few days. THEN you'd really hear squeals of outrage.

If this controller has sleep apnea then that could be his defense for falling asleep. Certainly two controllers are required in a control tower. If one got sick the other could take over.
I used to have to sleep at my desk in my office - at the END of my workday - because I was unable to drive home because I couldn't stay awake. I was so sleep deprived - though seemingly sleeping through the whole night that there were times during the day that I would just nod off and go into a deep sleep. I can only imagine what it might be like to have a schedule like they work (so many days working days and so many days working nights). I ultimately had a sleep test because it became ridiculous to sleep just to drive 20 minutes to get home ---- and I was always exhausted --- even when I had just gotten up. I have deep sympathy if it is this onerous medical conditions that can sneak up on you – a lot of people don’t pay attention to it until they talk to their doctor about their exhaustion.

If Reagan hadn't fired the professional controllers, none of this could happen.

Sure the controller should not have fallen asleep. Safety probably not an issue because airplane controlled by regional controller up to local airspace. Lots of commercial flights go into airports with no controller or not even a tower!

You're FIRED!

It is sheer incompetance to only have one air traffic controller on duty!!!!!! Never mind falling asleep, what if he had a seizure or a heart attack???? Too many lives at stake here to worry about another paycheck biting into the profits.

Why do they have a co-pilot when it only takes one person to fly a plane? If something should happen to the pilot, the co-pilot takes over. The same should be for air traffic controllers. If one falss asleep. has a heart attack or stroke, there should be a backup. I don't have alot of it, but this just makes common sense.

All you fools talking about the unions need to shut up. this guy was in management and they aren't represented by a union, so keep your hatred about unions to yourself!