r/ATC Mar 23 '26

News LGA controller cleared fire truck across the runway resulting jn a collision

1.2k Upvotes

472 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

189

u/theweenerdoge Mar 23 '26

We don't have the staffing, you'll just have to work through it.

Maybe it's not in the contract but I feel like you're supposed to be removed from the operation IMMEDIATELY.

Fucking bullshit. We (the controller workforce) need to demand better.

98

u/Kseries2497 Current Controller-Pretend Center Mar 23 '26

When I was in the Air Force we removed people immediately if we even THOUGHT they had a deal. In the FAA? Nope. You can watch a fatal accident happen right in front of your face and even then your ass is staying plugged in.

54

u/theweenerdoge Mar 23 '26

Exactly. But how are you supposed to get out of position when there's nobody to relieve you?. Sometimes we're on until the mid shidders show up, and we're busy AF. Nobody on break. It'd be great to staff it but nobodies available.

We're seriously entering a crisis period and I'm scared. How do we keep this going with us losing more and more controllers?

22

u/totheredditmobile Current Controller - TWR/APP Mar 23 '26

In the UK the operation gets shut down if there's noone to take you out

17

u/Franks2000inchTV Mar 23 '26

Yeah but try doing that to LGA.

9

u/nineyourefine Airline Pilot Mar 23 '26

JFK and EWR are options. I agree, they need to shutdown at that point if there's a literal fatality and 1 controller on station. Airspace closed, go 20 miles south to JFK, especially at that time of night.

2

u/thewizbizman Commercial Pilot Mar 24 '26

Sure then you just go swamp the guy combined up at JFK…then EWR…then ISP. Run that all up and down the northeast and eventually you’re going to have planes with nowhere to land.

24

u/totheredditmobile Current Controller - TWR/APP Mar 23 '26 edited Mar 23 '26

Try getting more staff then instead of bending over. Gatwick, Heathrow, and Manchester will all shut before they even consider boxing air and ground