As important as cheap airplane tickets and cheap vacation packages are to the average traveler, everyone wants to ensure passenger safety. Further steps have been taken in that direction as a result of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the air traffic controllers union agreeing on new rules to combat fatigue in the control room.
Controllers who do not feel attentive enough to guide aircraft can ask for leave but will not be allowed to take naps on the job or during breaks. Some controllers continue to argue that they should be allowed to take naps during breaks which they claim would help them stay alert while on the job. They do not see the downside of napping while on break. Napping is seen as politically unacceptable as this time.
To help keep them alert, controllers will be allowed to listen to the radio and read appropriate printed material while on duty between the hours of 10 pm and 6 am, as traffic permits.
Air traffic controllers are responsible to report to work rested and ready to safely perform their operational duties, according to the FAA. The FAA acknowledges its responsibility to have the right policies in place to reduce the possibility of fatigue in the workplace.
To combat controller fatigue the FAA has eliminated single staffing on midnight shifts.
Controller fatigue has become a major concern over the last year, with several controllers being fired because they were either sleeping or inattentive. At least seven controllers have been caught napping at work this year. www.cheapfares.com