Air Traffic Controller’s Nap Leaves Paris Flight Hanging In Mid-Air For 18 Miniutes

Last Updated:September 18, 2025, 15:51 IST

An Air Corsica flight circled Ajaccio’s Napoleon Bonaparte Airport for 18 minutes as the ATC fell asleep. The plane landed safely after intervention; an investigation is underway.

The controller had been waiting for the plane, which was an hour late.

A flight from Paris that was scheduled to land at Ajaccio’s Napoleon Bonaparte Airport in Corsica was instead forced to fly around in circles above the Mediterranean Sea for “18 minutes” as an air traffic controller (ATC) fell asleep during his night shift.

The incident took place shortly after midnight on Tuesday when an Air Corsica Airbus A320 began its descent toward the airport in Ajaccio, the capital of the French Mediterranean island, Corsica, but received no response from the airport’s control tower, according to a report in The Times.

The pilot was forced to fly the plane around in circles above the Mediterranean Sea as the controller failed to light up the single 2,400-metre runway, the aviation authority told AFP, confirming a report in Corse Matin.

According to a report by Daily Mail, the pilot was flying around the airport for so long that plans had been put in place to divert to Bastia, a port city on the other side of the island.

“The intervention of the airport fire department at the control tower revealed that the air traffic controller on duty had fallen asleep at his post,” the aviation authority said.

They said the Air Corsica flight landed safely after the controller was woken up and pointed out that he had tested negative for alcohol. However, an investigation into the matter has been initiated and the controller might face a sanction, the authorities added.

Meanwhile, Daily Mail reported that the controller had been waiting for the plane, which was an hour late.

Later, the captain told The Times: “In a career of several decades I have never had to handle such a situation. We did a little tour. At no time was there any panic. Everyone stayed calm.”

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