Sky's the limit as airport plans to strengthen air traffic team

GLOBAL SHORTAGE OF STAFF SEES BOSSES LOOK TO FUTURE

- By OLIVER PRIDMORE

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

Bosses at the Castle Donington airport stress 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.

But 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 last year that the department comprised 49 staff including engineers and a head of air traffic control.

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