Guidelines for Determination of Work Schedule for Air Traffic Control Officers in Bangkok Area Aviation Control Centre

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to study how an Air Traffic Control Officer's (ATCO) work schedule could result in fatigue based on international standards of working hours, the impacts of the work schedule, and then to propose a work schedule that would minimize the impact of fatigue on ATCO's. This research was a qualitative research starting with documentary study of related research literature and then conducting in-depth interviews of research informants consisting of 20 officers in the Bangkok Area Aviation Control Centre in order to collect data on the impacts of the current work schedule on various dimensions of fatigue. Then, the researcher proposed a new work schedule that had been verified in terms of appropriateness and feasibility by 3 experts with the use of the Fatigue Index (FI). Research findings indicated that the current ATCO's work schedule had long working hours under the increasing workload resulting in the occurring of fatigue that affected the officers’ physical and mental health and their work performance efficiency. Consequently, the researcher proposed an alternative work schedule based on the standards of both the International Civil Aviation Organization and the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand in order to reduce such fatigue. The proposed appropriate work schedule would be based on a 5-day rotation, including 3 working days with 8 working hours per day, and 2 holidays.