LaHood: Bad air control incidents "ridiculous"

This time it was not a nap, but a movie.

The FAA says early Sunday morning, a controller inside the Cleveland air traffic center was watching a DVD rather than his radar screen.

That's not all. For about three minutes, audio from the suspense thriller "Cleaner," starring Samuel L. Jackson, was accidentally broadcast to nearby air traffic.

The controller's microphone was stuck in the "transmit" position, meaning pilots heard the movie and the controller heard no incoming calls. CBS News correspondent Bob Orr spoke with Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood about the incident.

"It's totally ridiculous. It's totally outrageous. It's totally unprofessional," LaHood said.

This incident comes as the FAA is cracking down on controller inattention. In the past two months, nine air traffic handlers have been suspended: Two, including a supervisor, were suspended for the Cleveland movie caper; Seven others were suspended in an outbreak of napping.

Controllers have been found dozing on the job in Seattle, Reno, Lubbock, Knoxville, Miami and Washington.

In response, the FAA has beefed up staffing on overnight schedules, added an hour of rest between shifts, and has repeatedly put controllers on notice.

La Hood has called this behavior outrageous and said it won't stand, yet it continues to happen, leaving some to wonder if these people are not getting the message.

"When that happens, controllers will be suspended, investigations will be conducted, and in some instances controllers will lose their jobs," LaHood told CBS News.

Air traffic veterans, who have long complained about understaffing, insist 99 percent of controllers are professional and attentive, though overnight shifts and fatigue are a challenge.

"They stay awake by trying to read a book that's interesting or - or going to get 5 cups of coffee, drinking a Red Bull," said Derek Bittman, an air traffic controller."Just a simple little mind game you can play, like a crossword or something like that helps you keep awake."

No controller has yet been fired as investigations continue. In the meantime, public confidence in air safety has been undermined, and somebody clearly will pay a price.

[berno56]

And you expect more compliance from a federal employee just because he/she is an air traffic control employee? Few government employees are truly motivated. And if they are, they won't stay that way for long.

[ariz_1944]

"In the past two months, nine air traffic handlers have been suspended:" WHAT does it take to FIRE these people?????
Statement that "insist 99 percent of controllers are professional and attentive, though overnight shifts and fatigue are a challenge." Is PURE BS!! History has shown time after time that when problems of this type show up, where there are a few caught, there are 100s that never get caught until something REALLY BAD HAPPENS!! Look into the Coggin Air crash in Buffalo, but you haven't heard anything about pilots getting more rest and sleep have you?
The US Govt is corrupt all the way thru, everyone, LaHood included is playing "CYA". People WAKE UP!! Or is it going to take another MAJOR screwup some where to open your eyes!?!?!

[renagade112]

I'd seriously like to know what it takes to get fired these days. More and more it seems that getting rid of dead wood has become increasingly more difficult... Unions seem to think that that it is best to retain those that would be detremental to a companies operations. Now the government employee is a special case. Notoriously known for the lack of a serious work ethic... its less of a hassle to maintain dead wood than to try and fire someone. Its a true tragety that productivity has to suffer because those that are delegated to consider ones productivity ... ones evaluations... have their hands tied in the elimination of unproductive personnel. Shame.

[lami987]

Looks like American air traffic controllers never did recover fully from firing by Reagan in the 80's.