FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Newcastle ATC Closing in the evenings
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Old Feb 24, 2026 | 2:44 pm
  #17  
Shuttle_Endeavour
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I think Isle of Man is another airport that frequently closes for controller breaks and due to staff shortages.

Towers can swiftly burn through controller hours, especially when flights are delayed. A late evening departure can then impact the minimum rest period and subsequently you have a hole in coverage the following day if you aren’t careful.

It’s worth noting that controllers don’t really have the same flexibility that aircrew seem to have in terms of extending the duty period. I believe aircrew have a degree of discretion in extending hours in case of disruption, although still under strict regimes. For controllers, it seems very much more a case of turning into pumpkins when the clock strikes a number of hours on shift.
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