US EditionFrench Jet Left Circling While Corsican Controller Caught Zs
The incident reveals staffing vulnerabilities and prompts calls for automation and dual-controller staffing to prevent fatigue-related risks in regional airport operations.
- On September 16, 2025, an Air Corsica Airbus A320 flying from Paris to Ajaccio Napoleon Bonaparte Airport circled above Corsica for nearly an hour due to a sleeping air traffic controller.
- The incident occurred because a lone nighttime controller at Ajaccio's tower fell asleep, causing radio silence and unlit runway lights, delaying the plane's landing.
- Airport staff had to involve the police and overcome locked security doors to reach the controller, who was found asleep before he was roused to illuminate the runway and authorize the aircraft’s safe landing at 12:35 a.m.
- The captain remarked that throughout the incident, passengers remained composed and there was no sign of panic, adding that he had never encountered such an event in his many years of flying, while passengers responded with humor.
- The French Civil Aviation Authority confirmed the event and launched an investigation, prompting calls to improve staffing, automation, and emergency protocols to reduce reliance on single-controller shifts.
15 Articles
15 Articles
Because an air traffic controller had fallen asleep, an Airbus could not land on Corsica as planned.
Plane Passengers Circle for an Hour Before Landing After Air Traffic Controller Falls Asleep
The plane had traveled from Paris to the French island of Corsica on Tuesday, Sept. 16Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/Nurphoto An Air Corsica planeNEED TO KNOWA plane traveling from Paris to the French island of Corsica was forced to circle for an hour before landing after an air traffic controller fell asleepThe incident occurred on Tuesday, Sept. 16, according to reports"We did a little sightseeing," the pilot joked to a local media outletA passenger…
ATC staffer falls asleep, plane hovers over airport for an hour
An Air Corsica flight circled Ajaccio Airport in Corsica for nearly an hour after the lone air traffic controller on duty fell asleep during the night shift. With no response from the control tower, the plane prepared to divert until fire crews and police found the controller asleep. After waking up, he cleared the flight for a safe landing.
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