Fallout from sleeping Air Traffic controllers at the FAA

Henry Krakowski, the chief operating officer of the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization, tendered his resignation one day after the agency changed its policy of having a single air-traffic controller on duty at each of 27 airports across the country overnight. Each facility will now have at least two controllers at night.

In response to the two recent incidents involving apparently sleeping air traffic controllers at Regan Washington National Airport and an airport in Reno Nevada, NATCA President Paul Rinaldi made the following statement, “Safety is our number one priority. We are fully committed to providing the safest and most professional services possible.

“The increased staffing implemented by Secretary LaHood and FAA Administrator Babbitt is a strong first step that will go a long way to ensure these isolated cases of fatigue never happen again.

“We take our responsibilities very seriously and believe staffing levels and fatigue are at the root of the problem. We will continue to work with the FAA and through our professional standards workgroup to provide the highest level of professionalism and safety.”