The air traffic control volume at Muan International Airport was found to be nearly three times higher than that of other small and medium-sized airports. In 2017, the Busan Regional Aviation Administration attempted to impose a 'nighttime operation restriction measure' (curfew) due to concerns over safety incidents related to accumulated fatigue of air traffic controllers, but this plan was ultimately scrapped.
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and others on the 5th, last year, the air traffic control tower at Muan Airport managed a volume of 40,538, performing control duties for an average of 111 aircraft per day.
This is significantly more than the control volumes at Yangyang control tower (19,078; 52 per day), Yeosu control tower (14,710; 40 per day), and Ulsan control tower (12,820; 35 per day). Compared to Ulsan control tower, it is three times more on both annual and monthly average bases.
However, the number of air traffic controllers on duty was similar to that of other airports. The Muan control tower had a total of seven air traffic controllers who worked in shifts of two to three, while the Yangyang control tower also had seven controllers. The Yeosu and Ulsan control towers had four controllers each.
The air traffic control volume at Muan control tower, which was only 6,295 (18 per day) in 2008 right after its establishment, later maintained a level of 4,000 to 7,000. In the second half of 2014, when Muan Airport was designated as a substitute airport due to runway construction at Jeju Airport, the control volume increased to 25,310 (69.3 per day). After that, with the maintenance as a substitute airport and additional control of flight training aircraft, the control volume surged to 49,401 (135 per day) in 2015, 66,413 (181 per day) in 2016, and 63,855 (175 per day) in 2017.
As the control volume significantly increased, the Busan Regional Aviation Administration raised concerns about the lack of control personnel and the risks of safety incidents due to cumulative fatigue, attempting to restrict nighttime operations at Muan Airport from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. starting in 2018. However, due to opposition from the local community, including Jeonnam Province, this plan was ultimately scrapped. The rationale was that without a 24-hour operation system, it would be difficult to maintain or expand irregular international routes, which would negatively impact the airport's activation.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport also noted that they plan to increase control personnel due to the rising traffic volume at Muan Airport and ensure that there are no issues with 24-hour operations, but the number of air traffic controllers, which was six at the time, has only increased to seven.
According to international standards for managing air traffic controller fatigue, controllers' working hours should not exceed 12 hours (10 hours at night), and control working hours should not exceed two hours without a break. Overworking air traffic controllers leads to fatigue, which is directly connected to aviation safety.
In addition to controlling aircraft takeoffs and landings in 'airport control' duties, air traffic controllers are responsible for 'approach control' duties that guide aircraft to safe altitudes after ascent, as well as 'area control' duties that communicate and manage aircraft along the routes.