Originally Posted by
Del Prado
NATS only got the contract back 11 months ago, the rot set in under ANS.
Neo380 or MoL pointing the finger at NATS are way off the mark on this occasion.
https://travelradar.aero/nats-gatwick-airport/
The underlying problem with Air Traffic staffing is you have a small number of qualified people doing the job.
Say you need 4 or 5 ATCOs to run a radar bank or tower, to add another for contingency adds 20/25% to cost base. The sums are very different for an airline with 100s of pilots qualified on the same equipment.
Not way off at all - sacking all 127 trainees, when there was no financial need - and then complaining that you are short staffed, when you’ve just done the exact same thing a few years ago, is dysfunction.
NATS (staff) can take just as much blame for the ANS contract as anyone - failing 21/23 trainees (at one point) might have been because of the £1,000/day overtime rates, but it was also always the intention to force the contract back into NATS hands.
So be honest, and check your facts, please - this was a situation of NATS making.