Air traffic controllers investigated for fights, slurs and threats

AIR traffic controllers responsible for the safety of passengers have been investigated for workplace fights, racial slurs and unwanted sexual behaviour.

Trouble in the air for controllers

AIR traffic controllers responsible for the safety of thousands of passengers each day have been investigated for workplace fights, racial slurs, unwanted sexual behaviour and threats against managers.

Documents released to the Herald Sun revealed 68 cases of misconduct by Airservices Australia staff since January 2012 - including 19 air traffic controllers.

One operator was fired after making threats toward a manager in October 2013.

Another controller was given an official warning after making a racist comment on the radio which was broadcast to three pilots.

Four female controllers in Brisbane alleged systematic sexual bias, prompting external investigators to interview 60 staff and recommend changes in the organisation.

Two employees were punished for inappropriately using Instagram and social media.

Allegations were also made against staff in the engineering and maintenance department.

The cases included sexual harassment, physical aggression between workers and one person was caught on CCTV defacing NAIDOC posters.

The latest round of misconduct comes after a controller was stood down when two planes almost crashed into each other in the air on September 21.

Pilots on a Qantas flight QF581 from Sydney to Perth flying at 38,000ft at 12pm were forced to take evasive action after an traffic controller granted permission for flight QF576 to fly the same route in the opposite direction.

An on-board collision alarm sounded allowing pilots to narrowly avoid what would have been Australia's worst aviation disaster.

CASA said it would run a full investigation into the issue.

Airservices Australia spokeswoman Amanda Palmer said the breaches represented less than 1.9 per cent of the workforce.

"The large majority of the Code of Conduct breaches were minor in nature and all were dealt with appropriately," Ms Palmer said.

"We also terminated the employment of two staff for Code of Conduct breaches for more serious offences.

"Airservices does not tolerate inappropriate behaviour and we continue to work proactively to monitor and educate staff around their obligations in the workplace."

In July Australia's air safety regulator the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) released a report which highlighted issues with management, conflict resolution and culture with in the organisation.

[e-mail]