Sleeping air controller forces Air Corsica flight to circle over Ajaccio

A French passenger plane preparing to land in Ajaccio, Corsica, had to circle above the airport after the air traffic controller on duty fell asleep.

While this is not the first time someone has nodded off at work, it was certainly one of the most unusual – and potentially dangerous – situations.

The incident involved an Airbus A320neo operated by Air Corsica, carrying passengers, which had departed from Paris Orly at 10:46 p.m. with a delay of around one hour. The flight, usually a smooth 70- to 80-minute journey, was uneventful until it began its descent into Napoléon Bonaparte Airport. Approaching Ajaccio, the pilots realised the runway lights were off, and radio calls to the control tower went unanswered.

“In my decades of experience, I’ve never had to deal with a situation like this,” the captain told local paper Corse-Matin. “We did a little tour. At the time, there was no panic. Everyone stayed calm,” he said, adding that even the passengers treated the delay with humour.

With no response from air traffic control, the crew contacted ground staff, who in turn called the gendarmerie and the airport fire service. Due to security protocols, it took several minutes before they gained access to the control room. In the meantime, the pilots considered diverting to Bastia, on the other side of the island – an option likely to have been less welcome to passengers.

When the ground staff finally entered the control room, they found the air traffic controller fast asleep. Once woken, he immediately switched on the runway lights and activated the systems needed for a safe landing. The aircraft touched down without further incident a few minutes later.

An internal investigation has been opened by the French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC). The air traffic controller will also be examined by an occupational health doctor, and further sanctions are under consideration.

Ajaccio Airport staff later confirmed that there are usually two controllers on duty, but the second controller was on a scheduled four-hour rest break, leaving the lone controller in charge. He was tested for drugs and alcohol; both tests were negative.

This incident follows a growing number of complaints from Corsican aviation staff regarding long working hours, low pay and high stress levels. In fact, a strike had been planned earlier this week to protest about working conditions, but it was postponed following the collapse of the French government.

Napoléon Bonaparte Airport is the largest in Corsica, serving as the base for Air Corsica, which operates up to 70 weekly flights to Paris, and a limited number of routes to Brussels, Geneva, Rome and Luxembourg. A few other carriers, including Air France, Luxair, Transavia and easyJet, also use the airport.

Issues with air traffic control staffing are not unique to France. The United States has faced similar concerns in recent years. However, this is reportedly the first case of an air traffic controller literally falling asleep on the job in Corsica.