Air Traffic Controller Falls Asleep, Air Corsica Flight Circles Ajaccio Airport

Incident Forces Air Corsica Flight to Hold Over Ajaccio

An Air Corsica Airbus A320neo, operating as flight XK777 from Paris-Orly (ORY) to Ajaccio Napoleon Bonaparte Airport (AJA), was forced to circle for approximately 30 minutes on the evening of Monday, September 15, 2025, after the air traffic controller on duty reportedly fell asleep. The incident left the aircraft without clearance to land and the runway lights unilluminated, prompting an emergency response from airport personnel and local authorities.

Unresponsive Tower and Dark Runway

The flight, which had departed Paris-Orly around 27 minutes behind schedule, began its descent towards Ajaccio. As the crew attempted to establish contact with the control tower for landing clearance, they received no response. Compounding the critical situation, the runway lights at Ajaccio Napoleon Bonaparte Airport were not activated. The pilots of the Airbus A320neo, registered as F-HXKJ, entered a holding pattern over the Gulf of Ajaccio, a standard procedure when communication with air traffic control is lost. During this period, the crew considered diverting to Bastia Airport (BIA), located on the opposite side of Corsica, as an alternative landing site.

Emergency Intervention and Safe Landing

With no response from the control tower, the flight crew contacted the airport firefighters directly. Airport staff, including firefighters, were dispatched to investigate the control tower. After repeated attempts to make contact failed, local police were notified and became involved. Eventually, personnel gained access to the tower and discovered the sole air traffic controller on duty asleep at their post. Once awakened, the controller promptly restored communication and activated the runway lights, allowing flight XK777 to land safely at approximately 12:35 AM local time. The aircraft landed with a total delay of about one hour and 18 minutes, including its initial departure delay. The captain of the flight reportedly confided to passengers, 'In several decades of career, I had never had to manage such a scenario,' highlighting the unusual nature of the event.

Investigation Launched Amid Staffing Concerns

France's civil aviation authority confirmed the incident and has launched an investigation into the 'unusual situation.' The Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la Sécurité de l'Aviation Civile (BEA) is also investigating the event. Reports indicate that the air traffic controller was tested for alcohol and drugs, with results showing they were clean, suggesting exhaustion as a potential factor. This incident has raised significant concerns about staffing levels and fatigue management within French air traffic control, particularly during late-night operations at regional airports where a single controller may be on duty.