Airport facing 'challenge' to keep numbers up in vital air traffic control

EAST Midlands Airport is facing a “challenge” in its air traffic control team amid a global shortage of people coming into the industry.

- By OLIVER PRIDMORE

Bosses at the Castle Donington site have stressed that numbers are not significantly below where they would want them to be, saying the staffing shortage is a long way off being at a level that would affect operations.

Yet airport directors acknowledge that getting the next generation of air traffic controllers into an “ageing” industry will not be a quick process.

East Midlands Airport said when marking a significant anniversary for its air traffic control team in 2024 that the department comprised 49 staff including engineers and a head of air traffic control.

The site now says it has several vacancies within this unit that it is “actively recruiting” for and that a new head of air traffic control is due to start in the new year.