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A 2011 FAA-commissioned study found that U.S. air controller schedules caused chronic fatigue, with most getting an average of 5.8 hours’ sleep per night.
An Air Corsica Airbus A320 was forced to circle over Ajaccio on the French island of Corsica after the sole air traffic controller fell asleep on duty, according to The Times and The Sun. The plane, arriving from Paris shortly after midnight on Tuesday, initially received no response from the airport’s control tower.
The 2,400-meter runway remained unlit as the crew tried repeatedly to make contact. Pilots coordinated with regional controllers and considered diverting to Bastia before holding in a pattern above the Gulf of Ajaccio.
How did emergency crews respond?
Firefighters at Ajaccio Napoléon Bonaparte Airport attempted to wake the controller, then called police when they could not access the locked tower. Security personnel eventually reached the controller, who was found asleep at his desk. Once awake, he switched on the runway lights and cleared the jet to land.
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The aircraft touched down safely, and no injuries were reported. France’s civil aviation authority later confirmed the incident and said it launched an investigation.
What did passengers and the captain say?
The plane’s captain told The Times that in decades of flying, he’d “never had to handle such a situation.” He added: “We did a little tour. At no time was there any panic. Everyone stayed calm.” Passengers reportedly treated the episode with good humor.
What consequences may follow?
The Sun reported that the controller tested negative for alcohol, though possible sanctions are under consideration. Ajaccio airport, which handles more than 50 flights a day, has not commented publicly.
The incident drew attention to staffing levels in France’s air traffic system. The Times noted that controllers have staged repeated strikes over fatigue and working conditions. Despite being among the highest paid globally — with some earning up to $141,000 (€120,000) annually and early retirement options — unions argue that understaffing places pressure on employees.
The disruption raises concerns about air safety and reliability across Europe’s crowded skies. Eurocontrol has flagged France for having some of the continent’s most disruptive controller strikes, the Times reported.
