ATC contributed to 15% of flight delays in December

[DROPS]

Originally Posted by ER_BN

The protection racket continues in Senate Estimates Monday 12 February 1245-1315 (just before the senators’ lunch break…)

This is the problem.

But damned if I know the solution.

Apart from maybe getting rid of the pretend corporate structure, a pretend board, and bringing it back as one department with technocrats running it instead of flim flam shiny suits.

[missy]

Originally Posted by ER_BN

The protection racket continues in Senate Estimates Monday 12 February 1245-1315 (just before the senators’ lunch break…)

ASA 30 minutes, CASA 45 minutes, ATSB 10 minutes.

Perhaps one of the Senators can ask why ASA and CASA are so far behind in publishing their FOIs, and ATSB's reports take so long.

Safety, affordable safety and statistics.

[ER_BN]

Coalition push for legislation to force airlines to pay for delays

In the SMH / Age this evening. This would put the cat amongst the pigeons , ie airlines paying passengers for Airservices caused delays….

That could finally cause an encouragement to fix AsA.

As per Voltaire: pour encourager les autres

Figuratively speaking - “Time to shoot the admiral, Albo!”

[missy]

and the Committee members

Senator Glenn Sterle, Chair - WA, ALP
Senator the Hon Matthew Canavan, Deputy Chair - QLD, The Nationals
Senator Linda White - VIC, ALP
Senator Peter Whish-Wilson - TAS, Australian Greens
Senator Raff Ciccone - VIC, ALP
Senator Gerard Rennick - QLD, Liberal National Party of Queensland

[Lead Balloon]

Originally Posted by DROPS

This is the problem.

But damned if I know the solution.

Apart from maybe getting rid of the pretend corporate structure, a pretend board, and bringing it back as one department with technocrats running it instead of flim flam shiny suits.

To solve the problem we have to deal with the cause. The cause of the problem is the major political party duopoly which has gutted the integrity of the public sector. While ever they take turns in government, they both win, and neither has any interest in exposing the chronic dysfunction and waste in the public sector. Things like Robodebt are SOP, not an aberration.

[neville_nobody]

In the SMH / Age this evening. This would put the cat amongst the pigeons , ie airlines paying passengers for Airservices caused delays…. That could finally cause an encouragement to fix AsA.

Which is exactly why the delay penalties will never come about. It will open a can of worms that will expose the airports and ATC in this country so that is why it will never happen. Governments will talk about it publicly until they realise how much money they will be on the hook for in terms of penalties every year due to their woeful service delivery and it will all magically disappear.

What will been even funnier to watch will be if the Coalition gets into power then one of these committee members becomes the Transport minister.

[missy]

In December 2023 one in six delays were attributed to Airservices.
In January 2024 one in eight delays were attributed to Airservices.

Trumpeting from the AWB

Airservices program to minimise variation to our published services remains the key priority for the Airservices team to deliver month-on-month improvement.

Note the wording, minimise not eliminate. Surely the target is zero.

[KRviator]

Originally Posted by News.com.au

Flight chaos caused by two air traffic controllers failing to show up to work
The true reason for widespread chaos at airports around the country with mass flight cancellations and disruptions has been revealed.

The true reason for widespread chaos at airports around the country with mass flight cancellations and disruptions has been revealed - two members of staff not turning up to work. Two air traffic controllers who failed to report for duty at Sydney Airport on Monday are behind the disruptions.

Due to the two staff members’ absence, Airservices requested a ground delay program from 3pm until the airport’s curfew at 11pm.This led to Qantas flights experiencing an average delay of 72 minutes, while Virgin flights were delayed roughly 95 minutes

The government agency responsible for staff, AirServices Australia, was grilled today by Liberal Senator Bridget McKenzie who did not hold back. Senator McKenzie said it was “incredible that two people don’t show up for work and the entire country is shut down”. “When Sydney experiences disruption, the whole country suffers and international travellers are also missing connections as a result of this,” she said. “I want to understand your response to this?” she asked AirServices CEO Jason Harfield. Mr Harfield said two air traffic controllers had called in sick, which had resulted in the slowdown in flight movements in and out of Sydney.

Despite having “948 operational air traffic controllers”, Mr Harfield said they had not been able to replace the two who were sick on Monday. He conceded flight delays directly attributable to Airservices had worsened since the Covid pandemic, when about 140 experienced air traffic controllers were given the option of early retirement.

Mr Harfield also faced questions about a workplace survey undertaken by Elizabeth Broderick, which showed bullying and harassment before Senator McKenzie challenged Mr Harfield to rate his own performance given his “million-dollar salary”.

He suggested a “B”.

A spokespesron for AirServices Australia told news.com.au “safety is always our first priority”. “Airservices is enhancing its service resilience by recruiting and training more than 100 new air traffic controllers (ATCs) nationwide since 2020,” the spokesperson said. “More than 70 new ATCs are due in FY2024 and a further 80 ATCs are projected to join us each year moving forward to add further depth to our ATC rosters.”Source

"70 Controllers "are due""... That's a forecast. Ask BoM how often they get theirs wrong. Or ask an actual ATC'er how many graduate from the school and then take to get trained in each position?

As I said before, if you're an ATCO, don't work OT, don't come in at short notice to cover another absence if you haven't had a good rest, don't extend your shift to cover your relief not making it in. Do your regular rostered hours and not a second more. Go home to your spouse on time, take the kids for a walk to the park and if you need to, take a personal day to make sure you can go to your kids soccer grand final. The system may be broke, but it is not your responsibility to fix. Look after yourself and your family and leave work behind when you get in your car. Let us deal with the delays and diversions and cancellations.

[Lead Balloon]

Airservices Australia said safety is always the services’ first priority.

“We have temporarily reduced traffic throughput to manage flights safely within the capacity available,” it said.

Then reduce the capacity available to zero so we'll have perfect safety.

The spin is that none of Airservices' shortcomings have any safety impact. CASA is contributing to the spin. ATSB? Who cares.

If, for example, the absence of SFIS at Ballina has no safety consequence, then it should be abandoned completely, as should the pretence that there'll be any ATC there any time soon.

[ReportVisual]

It is obvious to everyone that this is organized. Sydney had only 2 shifts to cover and no one would agree to reasonable overtime as required in the EBA.

As I said before, if you're an ATCO, don't work OT, don't come in at short notice to cover another absence if you haven't had a good rest, don't extend your shift to cover your relief not making it in

Air Services needs to start motivating those who do not enough over time by rejecting pay scale increases and leave requests.

[KRviator]

Originally Posted by ReportVisual

It is obvious to everyone that this is organized. Sydney had only 2 shifts to cover and no one would agree to reasonable overtime as required in the EBA.
Air Services needs to start motivating those who do not enough over time by rejecting pay scale increases and leave requests.

Could it be that everyone in the TCU has been doing OT to keep the place moving and they are burnt out and simply said FU? Time you read the tea leaves and understand that we would prefer a mentally prepared and well rested ATCO on the console than one who is there because they're being forced to work due to system shortages and an EA that says "You must do OT". While you're at it, perhaps you could answer my question above about what the courts have held "Overtime" or "reasonable overtime" to be - and whether you can be compelled to work beyond your ordinary-time hours on your RDO's.

Even if it was organized - and I don't believe for a second it is even though they'd have my full support if that was the case! - so what? Overtime hours are not ordinary time hours, they're voluntary, and even if you did try to enforce a Controller to do OT, they're still within their rights to refuse any particular OT shift if it doesn't suit them. The fact they're sooo short of staff they couldn't fill it, even with OT payments should be a pretty good indicator of just how short they are.

Speaking from experience, someone is always after OT, even if it's the graveyard shift. That no one took not one, but two shifts, speaks volumes.

[DROPS]

Originally Posted by ReportVisual

It is obvious to everyone that this is organized. Sydney had only 2 shifts to cover and no one would agree to reasonable overtime as required in the EBA.



Air Services needs to start motivating those who do not enough over time by rejecting pay scale increases and leave requests.

You are a troll. ATCO's cant do any more overtime than they are already as they are already breaching Airservices own FRMS. They are tired, making mistakes and falling asleep, as evidenced in Senate Estimates. Sydney in particular have been royally screwed around by the on again/off again, delayed, postponed (soon to be cancelled) transfer of SY APP to Melbourne. Any wonder nobody wants to transfer there?

Stop being a phoney apologist troll for the incompetent - you just look ridiculous.

[DROPS]

If in any doubt about how much the government have had enough of Harfield-Town.... (12 Feb Estimates Videos)


https://bfpca.org.au/estimates/

[Thirsty]

"Absolute sh1tshow"

The Guardian has a few words to report on this yesterday
https://www.theguardian.com/australi...s-senate-hears

"The opposition senator Bridget McKenzie opened questioning of the agency about active operational disruptions at Sydney airport’s control tower on Monday."

"McKenzie asked Harfield what his pay package was, and he replied it was about $950,000 a year.“You’re taking the rope and running as hard and fast as you can with your million dollar salary whilst you are presiding over an absolute sh1tshow, let’s be frank,” McKenzie said, as she and other senators questioned why, after five years as CEO, his term was being considered for extension."

Mincing her words a little? Maybe not...
Curious if her flight was delayed?

I recall the time when sitting members of parliament were shuffled along the goat track between Canberra and Sydney in chauffeur driven Commonwealth Cars due to 'some difficulty in getting flights', and now we have a wide two-lane (each way) concrete freeway via Gouldburn all the way as a direct result. An elegant solution?

[Alpha Whiskey Bravo]

I saw it last night. Harfield HAS to go!

[missy]

In December 2023 one in six delays were attributed to Airservices.
In January 2024 one in eight delays were attributed to Airservices.

Airservices have stated that pre-COVID the delays were something like one in 10.
Either Airservices is taking a hit for something outside their control - i.e. scheduling, poor airport and apron design, weather or it really is a Bridget (S**T SHOW).

How can anyone think 1 in 10 is acceptable? Shows a real lack of focus on service excellence. For 1 in 10, then I suggest the Terminal Control Units in BNE, MEL and SYD need more staff so that there is sufficient staff to cover any unplanned absences without invoking Overtime. Too often the ATFM Daily Plan says Reduced Staffing (XFactor Reason: Staffing) and therefore lower movement rates directly attributed to AsA poor management and resource planning. Lower movement rates = less income for AsA. I guess the Cost Benefit Analysis indicates the cost of more staff is > the lost income.

[Angle of Attack]

Nice just copped a 45 min delay for takeoff in MEL today due to single runway ops. This country is a joke, pathetic joke. Especially when they line up a heavy with an aircraft on final at 1000ft and cause a go around, which ads another 10 mins to the departure delay. Not a slur on ATC but a complete slur on Airservices they are a complete disaster, worse a completely incompetent bunch of idiots.

[Angle of Attack]

I now specifically mention Airservices Australia for any ATC delays on the PA, mentioning they are the government agency metering arrivals into the airports.

[DROPS]

Originally Posted by Angle of Attack

Nice just copped a 45 min delay for takeoff in MEL today due to single runway ops. This country is a joke, pathetic joke. Especially when they line up a heavy with an aircraft on final at 1000ft and cause a go around, which ads another 10 mins to the departure delay. Not a slur on ATC but a complete slur on Airservices they are a complete disaster, worse a completely incompetent bunch of idiots.

True. But still we choose to live here. So must still be good overall.

[sunnySA]

February

A changing narrative.

In February, the service impact due to Airservices’ capacity constraints was at its lowest level in ten months affecting just 1.3 per cent of all flights. Where GDP periods were implemented, eight per cent of ground delay periods were attributable to Airservices. Additional layers of resilience and flexibility continue to be built into the air traffic services operating model to deliver month-on-month improvements. This includes our recruitment program, training system improvements, refining traffic management processes ​​​...

Does "refining traffic management processes" mean nil TIBA?

Avalon
13 events, 34 hours.

B864/23 REVIEW B858/23
AVALON (YMAV) TWR HR OF SER AMD
DAILY 2200-0100 0200-0700
FROM 11 272004 TO 02 251200

AVALON TWR ATS NOT AVBL DUE OPERATIONAL RESTRICTIONS
AVALON CLASS D AIRSPACE BECOMES CLASS G FROM SFC TO 700FT AND
CLASS E FROM 700FT TO 2500FT AS PER EN ROUTE SUP AUSTRALIA (ERSA)
AVALON - ATS AIRSPACE - OUTSIDE TWR HR
FIS AVBL MELBOURNE CENTRE 135.70
COMMON TFC ADVISORY FREQ (CTAF) 120.1
SFC TO 2500FT AMSL
FROM 02 252000 TO 03 031200
DAILY 2000-2200 0100-0200 0700-1200

29 days, x 3 events per day = 87 events.
29 days, x 8 hours per day = 232 hours.