US orders new procedures for controllers

US orders new procedures for controllers

JOAN LOWY, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration gave air traffic controllers new procedures as officials try to contain the fallout from an incident earlier this week in which two airliners landed at Reagan National Airport without assistance because the lone controller on duty was asleep.

Regional radar facilities are now required to alert controllers working alone at night in an airport tower that a plane is approaching, FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said in a statement Friday. The radar controllers are "to con...