Air Traffic Control Problems in the News
2 min read
The short answer
When an air traffic control system has a problem, planes don't become "lost". Controllers switch to backup radios and procedures, keep planes at different heights, and slow down departures until things are fixed. Each plane also carries its own system that keeps it apart from others. For passengers, it usually means delays — not danger.
Why It's in the Headlines
In recent years, news stories have described radar screens or radios going quiet for a short time at control centres. It sounds alarming: if controllers can't see or hear the planes, what happens?
The answer is calmer than the headlines suggest. Aviation plans for exactly these moments.
Controllers Have Backups
- Backup radios. If the main radio channels fail, controllers switch to backup and emergency frequencies. In 2025, a US centre lost its main radio frequencies for about 90 seconds. Controllers switched to an emergency one, and the FAA said all planes stayed safely apart.
- Backup procedures. If radar is lost, controllers keep planes at different heights and track them by radio, so they can't come close to each other.
- Slowing things down. New departures are held or spaced further apart until the system is back. That's why passengers see delays.
Pilots Know Exactly What to Do
Every pilot is trained in what to do if radio contact is lost. They follow set rules about which route and height to fly, so controllers always know what to expect.
Every Plane Has Its Own Safety Net
Airliners carry a collision-avoidance system that talks directly to other planes nearby. It works completely independently of air traffic control. If two planes ever got too close, it would tell both pilots how to move apart.
What It Means for You
If you're affected, you'll most likely notice a delay on the ground or a wait in the air. That's the system choosing caution while it recovers.
The Takeaway
Air traffic control has backups for its backups. When something goes wrong on the ground, planes stay safely apart and the system simply slows down until it's fixed.
Sources
- Associated Press via ClickOnDetroit (May 2025), Air traffic controllers in Denver scramble to use backups after losing communications — the switch to an emergency frequency; FAA: aircraft remained safely separated: https://www.clickondetroit.com/business/2025/05/15/air-traffic-controllers-in-denver-scramble-to-use-backups-after-losing-communications-monday/
- SKYbrary, Airborne Collision Avoidance System (ACAS): https://skybrary.aero/articles/airborne-collision-avoidance-system-acas
- SKYbrary, Loss of Separation — how separation between planes is defined and protected: https://skybrary.aero/articles/loss-separation
Keep reading
How Air Traffic Control Works
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