Staff off sick cause massive delays at Sydney airport

[Lukas M]

http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/...014090,00.html

Shows just how many people can be delayed by a few people not showing up for work!
Wouldn't you rather be delayed than just takeoff without any ATC, at one of the world most busiest airports, YES

[NickN]

They were just down the road at the Botany Hotel having a few Friday afternoon coldies

[Andrew M]

So SYD only has 6 controllers on shift at once ?

Also they have no spare staff they can call in as well ?

Sounds pretty poor to me

[Adam P.]

Aha! That would explain it!!!

Another 'unfun' day to be working.

[Steve B.]

Hi Andrew M

Sydney does have more than 6 ATCs. As I understand SY ATC rosters, the normal compliment of ATCs rostered on duty for the time im question is 6. Remember we are only talking about the staff in the Terminal Control Unit (TCU). The total number of available, and suitably rated ATCs, for rostering in the TCU would, at a guess, be in excess of 30. However many of these ATCs would be rostered on duty for shifts on the same day and that would preclude them from being used. Some would be on rostered days off and may not be available for an overtime shift for any number of personal reasons.

Spare staff? Not likely!! AsA (Airservices Australia)has a shortage of rated ATCs. In fact some, if not the majority, of the ATC rosters can only work because of the staff's acceptance of overtime shifts.

Constant rostered overtime can cause significant staff morale and health problems, which, may be the cause of the ATCs in question calling in sick.

Also remember that SY ATC established staffing numbers overall are low compared to Melbourne and Brisbane ( the 2 main ATC centres) so there is not as much rostering flexibility to SY management.

It is unfair for anyone to simply imply that these closures are the "fault" of ATC staff, rather it seems to me to be an overall lack of suitably rated ATC staff brought about by the lack of foresight by AsA in training enough ATCs.

AsA has been warned for the last 7 years (to my knowledge) about impending staff shortages but nothing significant enough was done to address this situation.

Now Australia also has a situation where, by world standards, ATCs are underpaid and overworked resulting in an increasing number of early retirements and resignations by ATCs taking up work overseas. This of course is causing even more staff shortages.

Until AsA can get more people trained and the rosters at full strength then airspace closures will remain.

[Adam P.]

In fact some, if not the majority, of the ATC rosters can only work because of the staff's acceptance of overtime shifts.

It ain't just ATC... in fact probably not aviation exclusively either, though with such tight margins many airlines operate with the bare minimum staff anyway. As soon as someone goes sick there are problems!

A roster relying on overtime indicates some serious issues that need working out.

[Steve B.]

Hi Adam,

It is not a matter of running on minimum staff. There are not enough ATCs to fill all of the established positions, AsA is running an ATC system with less than minimum staff, thus the suspension of ATC services from time to time when no ATCs can be found to accept overtime.

Chronic understaffing has existed for a few years and will continue until AsA can get enough trainees qualified, into the field and suitably rated.

The approximate lead time from starting an ATC course to being a usable Full Performance Controller is about 5 years.

I agree with your thoughts, this problem goes well beyond ATC or aviation and permeates into most industries where the bottom line is all important.

[Adam P.]

approximate lead time from starting an ATC course to being a usable Full Performance Controller is about 5 years.

Wow!

Funnily enough it's a similar lead time as that for pilots starting from scratch to getting checked to line at an airline... believe me, it's hard to run a schedule with less than the required number of crew, in the same way it's hard to provide a srvice with less than the required number of controllers!