BOGOTÁ- An air traffic controller in Colombia allowed his son to give takeoff clearance to an Airbus A330 during an unauthorized visit to the air traffic control (ATC) tower at El Dorado International Airport (BOG).
The 18-year-old granted clearance to Avianca (AV) flight AV-217 bound for Buenos Aires, operated by Wamos Air, from Bogotá’s El Dorado Airport (BOG), sparking national concern and regulatory investigation.
Photo: By EFE – https://images.clarin.com/2020/04/03/en-colombia-avianca-suspendio-a___FLO8u6wmm_1200x0__1.jpg, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=136539604Colombian ATC Scandal
On July 21, 2025, an 18-year-old son of a Colombian air traffic controller gained unauthorized access to the control tower at El Dorado International Airport (BOG).
During the 50-minute visit, he communicated with up to 20 aircraft, including issuing takeoff clearance for Avianca (AV) flight AV-217—an Airbus A330 operated by Wamos Air with a capacity of 391 passengers.
The incident came to light after the teenager posted a video of the experience on social media, where it quickly went viral. This triggered an immediate investigation by Colombia’s civil aviation authority, Aeronáutica Civil, which confirmed the breach of aviation protocols and launched disciplinary proceedings.
Photo: Bill Abbott | FlickrDisciplinary Action and Regulatory Response
Following the incident, two air traffic controllers were suspended, and five others are facing disciplinary procedures for allowing unauthorized access.
Prosecutors have also opened an investigation to determine if criminal charges are warranted.
Aeronáutica Civil issued a strong statement condemning the incident as a violation of air safety standards. The agency emphasized that the behavior did not reflect the professionalism of Colombia’s broader air traffic control workforce.
Additional measures have been implemented to prevent future incidents, although officials maintain that no flights were endangered during the event.
Photo- The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey | FlickrGlobal ATC Workforce Challenges
The incident highlights the pressures and workforce shortages facing the global air traffic control (ATC) industry. Becoming an air traffic controller requires rigorous testing, education, and personality assessments, making recruitment a complex process.
In the United States, the Department of Transportation (DOT) aims to hire over 2,000 air traffic controllers by the end of the year to meet rising demand.
Despite hitting annual recruitment targets, long-term forecasts still predict significant ATC staffing gaps due to training bottlenecks and attrition.
Personal Motive Behind the Breach
The father, who is employed as an air traffic controller at another Colombian airport, defended his actions by saying he intended to provide his son with practical exposure to the profession.
He claimed the experience was meant to inspire his son, who aspires to work in aviation. However, critics argue that this breached fundamental safety standards and set a dangerous precedent.
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Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) Salary Across the World in 2025
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