We also have to ask what penalties does ASA suffer for not supplying what is a safety sensitive service. Shouldn't there be stiff fines to ensure it has 100% coverage, enough to ensure they employ and pay controllers enough even for unexpected sickness. As for a tower service reverting to CTAF not affecting safety, why is there an expensive tower in the first place? This was happening BEFORE covid, regular patches in controller coverage even at Sydney and Melbourne. To blame covid alone is completely bogus. It's an employment pay and conditions argument, pure and simple, ASA does not employ and retain enough controllers so they have holes in the system.