Shortage of air traffic controllers widens

AAI asks DGCA to revise their duty timings and reduce rest periods

Faced with an escalating need for air traffic controllers due to the rapid increase in airports in the country and slow recruitment, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has asked the aviation safety regulator to revise rules on their duty hours so that their rest periods can be shortened.

In order to comply with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation's rules on "watch duty limitations and rest requirements", the AAI as the provider of air traffic services needs 40% more personnel for 2022 than its current strength of 3,163 personnel. In 2023, it will need 5,131 ATCOs, or 60% more than the present numbers, and in 2024, it will need 5,428, or 70% more officers, according to a government official.

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The current strength of ATCOs is already 22% less than the sanctioned strength of 3,871.

"We have asked the DGCA to rationalise its rules. Instead of one set of rules for all airports in the country it must look at volume of air traffic at different airports to fix duty and rest periods. An airport that operates 24x7 hours such as Delhi will have different requirements than those that see flights only between dawn to dusk or have limited day-time operations," said the official.

The AAI has sought differentiated duty timings for four categories of airports on the basis of air traffic handled— major airports or those with more than 400 flights per day, airports with up to 100 flights, 30 flights and 10 flights per day.

"We are examining the issue. We are also looking at global best practices and we should be able to resolve it shortly," a senior DGCA official said.