[QUOTE=Duck Pilot;11459838]Air Traffic Controllers are like Pilots and I'm sure we think the same way with regards to professionalism, training, experience and safety.
Bottom line is that there is a chronic shortage of experienced Air Traffic Controllers and Experienced Pilots within the Australian Aviation Arena at the moment/QUOTE]
I think a significant difference is airlines have staff rostered on call avbl to cover unplanned leave, so rarely would a flight get cancelled due to that reason. In ATC each group let's say has 20 staff,.10 are on duty already, and of the 10 that are off say there are 2 on REC, 1 on LSL, 1 on paternity, 1 away on a project, 1 on long term sick leave, then a couple are away for the days off and another couple not interested in extra OT $$s, and then that's it the cupboard is bare and airspace is turned off. So of those 10 that were off 3 years ago 2 got early retirement so now there are only 8 left anyway. Unless there is a system where u can have forced OT or have staff on call nothing can ever change. But to have staff on call requires a ton more staff and a ton more salaries.