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Airport set to lose air traffic controllers amid pay dispute

By Tim Fang

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    SAN MATEO COUNTY, California (KPIX) — The San Carlos Airport (SQL) in San Mateo County will no longer have air traffic controllers starting in February following a dispute over pay, officials said.

Airport manager Gretchen Kelly announced Wednesday that the air traffic controllers’ last day at the airport will be on Friday.

Starting Saturday, the tower will be unstaffed, a condition known to aviators as “ATC Zero.”

The airport said the FAA had awarded a new contract for air traffic services to Robinson Aviation (RVA), but the contract had not included locality pay to account for the Bay Area’s high cost of living. Air traffic controllers at San Carlos had been under contract from Serco, a private company that provides air traffic control to about 60 U.S. airports.

“As a result, RVA’s employment offers to current SQL controllers were significantly lower than their current compensation under SERCO. Understandably, all current controllers have declined RVA’s offers,” Kelly said. The airport said it is working closely with Rep. Kevin Mullin’s office to push the FAA to meet its obligation to provide air traffic services to San Carlos. Airport officials are also “exploring all options” to return air traffic control staffing to Serco or the FAA.

“To emphasize the critical need for high-quality ATC services at SQL—given our high traffic volume, IFR arrivals/departures, extensive flight training, complex airspace, and proximity to SFO—we encourage you to file FAA Hotline complaints to raise awareness of this urgent issue,” Kelly said.

Located near San Francisco Bay about 12 miles south of San Francisco International Airport, San Carlos Airport is home to about 500 aircraft and more than 25 aviation-related businesses.

The county’s announcement comes amid renewed concerns about air safety. On Wednesday night, a deadly mid-air collision between an American Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter took place near Washington, DC.

Officials said the jet had been carrying 60 passengers and four crewmembers, while there were three soldiers aboard the helicopter. There were no survivors.

Wednesday’s collision was the deadliest major U.S. commercial air crash in the U.S. since 2009.

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