Manchester-Bound Planes Wait While Controller Takes Potty Break

Passengers on the aircraft were probably not informed of the reason for the delay, said the union spokesman, adding, "They'd probably be angry."






Both said the controller, whom neither named, had been on duty at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport about two hours and 40 minutes Friday when he had to take a bathroom break.

Because the only other employee in the tower was not certified to handle takeoffs and landings, the controller notified FAA's Boston consolidated terminal radar approach control, or TRACON, that he was taking the unscheduled break.

FAA spokesman Jim Peters said the controller, who had handled 60 aircraft during the first three hours of his shift, acted responsibly by waiting until a slow period before taking his bathroom break. Boston TRACON assumed responsibility for the airspace and placed two aircraft in a holding pattern until the controller returned.

Peters said the break lasted 12 minutes, but said a few additional minutes may have lapsed as the planes were realigned to land.


Union spokesman Church said Southwest Flights 1187 and 2379 were delayed 18 minutes. He provided CNN with an FAA "traffic management log" indicating an 18-minute lapse during a "bathroom break."

Passengers on the aircraft were probably not informed of the reason for the delay, Church said, adding, "They'd probably be angry."

During the controller's break, a Lifeguard flight pilot radioed the tower and spoke to a trainee, who was not certified to conduct controller operations. The trainee told the pilot he would have to wait 10 minutes for the controller to return.

The pilot replied that he had "lungs on board," Church said.

Peters acknowledged that the Lifeguard flight was told it had to wait 10 minutes, but said there was no indication from the pilot that the delay would cause problems.




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