NEWS

On a Friday morning, in the second week of December 2008, a Chennai Air Traffic Controller (ATC) snapping shut up to an Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot drew gasps from at least 15 pilots flying in the sector. It led to a sharp exchange, with the pilots questioning the language used by the controller, who in defence clarified that he was under tremendous pressure. Senior officials warned and counselled the controller, but no disciplinary action was taken. The incident took place around 10.25 am. The IAF aircraft had taken off five minutes earlier for Port Blair and at 15,000 ft altitude, when the pilot requested for a further climb to 23,000 ft, the ATC shouted: You shut up!

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Given the primitive infrastructure, outdated equipment, acute shortage of ATCs, long working hours and poor salaries, one need not be unduly surprised that such a shocking incident did indeed take place. Undoubtedly, as manifest in the incident in question, work pressures and stress levels for ATCs are high, often intolerable. On a daily basis, ATCs are required to handle not only ever increasing density of air traffic but pilots who are not only impatient but have accent that may be difficult to follow or have poor command of the English language. In his tour of duty, a controller may without notice be confronted with a serious emergency situation that could easily culminate in disaster of unimaginable proportions. Such situations place heavy demand on the professional capability and personality of the controller. Like other metro airports, the ratio of ATCs to aircraft movement began to turn adverse since the beginning of the boom in the civil aviation sector five years ago and has been progressively worsening. However, so far there appears to be no real urgency with the concerned government agencies to take remedial action to retrieve the situation from the verge of collapse.

However, the ugly outburst on the part of the harassed controller on duty needs to be viewed in the wider context of professionalism and the more pertinent concern for air safety. Whatever the provocation, in the interest of well being of aircraft and its occupants, an ATC cannot afford to lose his cool. Such a demeanour immediately erects a barrier to communication between pilots and the ATC, resulting in loss of confidence which is a sure recipe for disaster. The dignified response from the IAF pilot on the other hand, stood out in sharp contrast to the inelegant behaviour of the controller and speaks highly of his personality, professionalism and quality of training. The deplorable conduct on the part of the controller immediately triggered a wave of agitated response from pilots of several other international airlines in the skies over the Bay of Bengal at that time operating on the same radio frequency. This act of indiscretion would have already spread amongst the international civil aviation community tarnishing the professional image of Indian aviation.

If the incident in question is bad, the soft line adopted by the organisation makes it much worse. Warned and counseled but no disciplinary action! The organisation is perhaps conscious of its own role and responsibility for the sordid state of affairs and would rather sweep the dust under the carpet. It is not known whether so far there has even been a formal apology to the Air HQ or even to the pilot who was so blatantly subjected to public insult before an international community.