Commercial Airbus A320 had to circle the Mediterranean for an hour as air traffic controller slept
Published on Sep 19, 2025 at 12:30 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Sep 19, 2025 at 8:44 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
An Air Corsica Airbus A320 was forced to circle the skies for an hour above Corsica because the air controller wasn’t giving clear instructions.
To be even more accurate, the air controller – apparently there was only one on duty – wasn’t responding at all, and so the Air Corsica pilot had no alternative but to wait.
Everyone was gearing up for the worst but, as it turns out, the controller was reportedly simply asleep.
While the situation was resolved the moment they woke up, it raised an important alarm.
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What happened to this Air Corsica Airbus A320
An Air Corsica Airbus A320 was approaching the small French island, on its way from Paris Orly, when something strange happened.
As they approached Ajaccio Napoleon Bonaparte Airport, the pilot and co-pilot radioed the air controllers asking for permission and instructions to land.
But the air controllers weren’t responding, and the Airbus wasn’t given the all-clear to land.
This situation went on for about an hour.
According to the Times, regional controllers from other airports nearby instructed the plane to simply hold over the Gulf of Ajaccio while the situation was resolved.
Firefighters and police were called to intervene, and they must have been surprised when they broke into the control tower.
First, there was only one air controller and second, they were asleep.
The lone controller was later tested for drugs and alcohol, and the result came back clean.
The controller had simply nodded off.
This raises an important alarm
The aviation industry is heavily regulated.
Passengers are familiar with airport rules: liquid restrictions, arriving two hours early for flights, keeping devices in airplane mode, and so on and so forth.
With that in mind, the Air Corsica incident seems easily avoidable with a backup controller on duty.
Many assume airports always have at least two controllers on duty.
Clearly, that’s not always true.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
