The Federal Aviation Administration has suspended all “unofficial visits” to its air traffic control centers after a boy was allowed to speak with planes at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. The agency said Wednesday that it has also placed a controller and supervisor on administrative leave pending the outcome of its investigation. The odd incident last month involved at least five airplanes who communicated with the unidentified boy.
“This lapse in judgment not only violated FAA’s own policies, but common sense standards for professional conduct,” FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said in a statement Wednesday. “These kinds of distractions are totally unacceptable.” FAA officials declined to comment Wednesday beyond their prepared statement on the matter. The incident was first reported Tuesday by WFXT television in Boston, which broadcast portions of the audio recordings of the boy speaking to pilots on JetBlue and Aeromexico flights. “That’s what you get guys when the kids are out of school,” an adult male says at one point. A further oddity: The FAA records all air traffic communication and, in fact, you can even listen on the Internet if you want. Everyone involved knew there was a taped record. The founder of one such Internet site, Dave Pascoe, told CNN on Wednesday that the incident had been “blown out of proportion.” I think many travelers would disagree.
Way to go FAA.
