Air Traffic Chief Resigns Amid Rash of Sleeping Controllers
- Posted on April 14, 2011 at 11:36am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
- Print »
- Email »
WASHINGTON (The Blaze/AP) — The head of the Federal Aviation Administration says the agency‘s top official overseeing the nation’s air traffic system has resigned following disclosures of controllers falling asleep on the job.
FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said in a statement Thursday that Hank Krakowski, the head of the agency’s Air Traffic Organization, has submitted his resignation. FAA’s chief counsel, David Grizzle, will temporarily take over Krakowski’s duties while the agency searches for a replacement.
Babbitt said he is conducting a “top to bottom” review of the FAA’s entire air traffic system. He said recent disclosures of “unprofessional conduct on the part of a few individuals” have rightly caused the traveling public to question the system.
“Over the last few weeks we have seen examples of unprofessional conduct on the part of a few individuals that have rightly caused the traveling public to question our ability to ensure their safety,” Babbitt in a statement. “This conduct must stop immediately.”
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Comments (41)
Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In
Popular Stories
MSNBC Host Snaps in Heated Segment: ‘What in the World Is Riskier Than Being a Poor Person in America?’ 682 Comments
Does Misstated Marathon Claim Prove Paul Ryan Is Dishonest? (POLL) 640 Comments
‘Jumah at the DNC’ Speaker: ‘Muslims Visited America Prior to Columbus’ & ‘It Was a Muslim’ Who Guided Him to the ‘New World’ 523 Comments
Obama: RNC Like Watching ‘Black-and-White TV’ Because Romney ‘Did Not Offer a Single New Idea’ 360 Comments
Have You Seen the Giant ‘Sand Obama’ Sculpture in Charlotte? 312 Comments
Faith
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 152 Comments- Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More
- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 189 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
‘Self-Proclaimed Messiah’ & Unification Church Leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon Has Died — Here’s His Life Story Read More
Business
- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 146 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know Read More- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 300 Comments
Scathing New Ad Capitalizes on Rep. Ryan‘s ’Fading Obama Posters’ Remark 124 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 152 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
EP46
Posted on April 17, 2011 at 7:29amSmoke and mirrors. This is just another UNION PLOT. They are throwing their own under the bus in order to hire more workers which equals more UNION MEMBERS. Any job where you are caught sleeping you are fired. But not union jobs…this is simply one more act by the Unions to be able to increase their numbers and get more money from members to spend getting the PUPPET re-elected.
Report Post »David Thomas
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 7:56pmWhy, when a pilot can’t communicate with the air traffic controller, can’t he send a signal that sets off an alarm in the tower that will awaken someone asleep?
Report Post »Always_Right
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 5:58pmWhy resign? It only is an admission of guilt. There are lots of turds in public offices. LOTS of them.
Report Post »Contrarian51
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 5:37pmAnd the problem is going to be addressed by hiring additional controllers at an annual cost of about $5 million. Only the federal government can think that the solution to the problem of employees not doing what they are paid to do is to hire more people to do it.
Report Post »bitter clinger
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 5:35pmthat guy needs a job driving the rent a mob bus.
Report Post »Bret
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 5:32pmBoy, I am glad that this problem is now fixed…
Report Post »temple62
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 3:49pmRay Lahood has proven his incompetence once again, “He won’t sleep until he gets to the bottom of the sleeping problem”! He needs to be fired asap!
Report Post »kentuckypatriot
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:32pmI need the job! Hire me, I’m sure I could do wayyyyyy better!
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:22pm“It’s a twister Auntie Em”
Report Post »Constitutional
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:10pmObama should resign over the recent rash of VPs sleeping on the job.
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:22pmExcellent..LOL
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:08pmI think most air traffic controllers are like the bunch in Airplane. Johnny was the best.
Report Post »PerryB
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 12:33pmJust like the government to hire 27 new controllers rather than something like putting a camera at each facility and have a couple lower paid people monitor them all.
Report Post »Or a really loud bell that rings every 5 min.
div
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:52pmFor a few thousand, maybe less if they shop around, an “operator inactivity alarm” could be installed. Inland river towboat operators use them to keep their boat captains awake.
Report Post »Hisemiester
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 12:17pmAnd now folks, You know what is coming next. We don’t have enough controllers since Reagan took away the unions. We need more controllers now. The Union must be allowed to come back into the field of Air Traffic Controllers. Here it comes look out.
Report Post »hempstead1944
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 12:16pmHe was the wrong man for the job from the beginning….
Report Post »geonj
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 12:10pmi don’t think this guy gets to resign. he got paid well to do a job, now he should have to clean up the mess, and on his own dime.
Report Post »Vickie Dhaene
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 12:10pmThis is also a plan of the unions. Keep people in fear and another industry fails and more people stay home and wait for Government to take “Care” of us.
Report Post »drattastic
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 11:59amSleeping on the job is standard operating procedure for union employees
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 11:58amForget firing HIM, fire the SLEEPING UNION EMPLOYEES (good luck with that) They are planning an all out assualt on conservatives and non-union TAX PAYERS!
Report Post »TRONINTHEMORNING
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 11:52amGet some rest, pal.
Report Post »LadyIzShy
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 11:46amummm shouldnt the EMPLOYEES also resign? what about the UNION BOSSES?? oh gish this makes me mad
Report Post »Lloyd Drako
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 5:09pmIf the controllers had a strong enough union, you can bet the towers would be manned by more personnel than needed, and they’d work maybe four hours/day so they’d be rested rather than nodding off!
Report Post »CommonSenseNow
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 11:44amEasy solution – fire all sleeping controllers for not doing their jobs!!
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 11:41amWhen will the TSA people resign? There are plenty of openings down at the south border.
Report Post »and to the republic
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 11:39amunprofessional conduct by EMPOLYEES and the boss resigns? See, I don’t get that. Can’t be a babysitter….
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 12:05pmI agree and it has no effect on the problem. I suppose the administration feels it makes them look large and in charge.
Report Post »walkwithme1966
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 12:33pmI have mixed feelings about this one – I don’t believe the boss should have resigned but I do believe that controllers sleeping on the job is a problem. Having worked the night shift twice in my life, I learned that you have to rearrange your life so that you don’t fall asleep during the night. The problem lies with the controllers themselves who obviously didn’t get enough sleep during the day. http:./maboulette.wordpress.com
Report Post »Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 11:38amHe must have just awoke from his nap.
Report Post »Gold Coin & Economic News
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 11:39amMaybe we could get the POTUS to resign because all the Democrats are asleep at the wheel of the economy.
Report Post »unsalvageable.org
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 11:44amI agree, Biden was sleeping yesterday, time for his boss to step down!
Report Post »grandmaof5
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 11:54amShocking that it didn’t take a terrible tragedy for the resignation. Usually everyone sits on their hands and the union comes to the rescue siting that the planes should have come in while these people were awake, not while they were napping.
Report Post »Dustyluv
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 12:02pmOverpaid Government workers hard at work…
Report Post »tobywil2
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 12:04pmThis had to have been caused by President Bush. Any ideas on how he did it? http://commonsense21c.com/
Report Post »Sparky101
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 12:26pmI think we need to completely forgive these air traffic controllers that fall asleep. It is not really their fault. It has been found in each instance, that they were listening to an Obama speech on their radios. You can’t really hold someone responsible for succumbing to democrat propaganda this way. It is a purely involuntary reaction. Simply make them tune into Rush or Beck instead. Not only will they stay awake, they will instantly become better Americans.
Report Post »bullcrapbuster
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 12:29pmPlaying video games, watching porn and smoking pot just downright wears a person out. Where is the compassion.
Report Post »Polwatcher
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 12:35pmHis resignation will not fix a thing.
Report Post »theonefromabove
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 12:46pmGood to see someone resign when necessary.
http://politicalbowl.com – Political Videos
Report Post »and to the republic
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:09pm@ polwatcher. Exactly, his resignation solves nothing…
@ theonefromabove. Why was his resignation necessary? He didnt fall asleep. Need help understanding why you say this….
Report Post »Oil_Robb
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:46pmMaybe he hired Mexicfan controlers…..they take sleeps on the job….hence they get nothing done in thier own country
Report Post »the_zazzy
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:48pmZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz……what…..huh….did I miss something?
Report Post »