‘Cost over safety’: Brisbane staff pan Airservices work culture

“We keep going because we love our job. It’s really only the dedication and professionalism of air traffic controllers that’s prevented a catastrophic event,” a source within Airservices told the masthead, saying staff have “had enough” and “lost trust in management”.

According to the survey, staff were dissatisfied with areas including workplace respect, communication, and a lack of recognition for good work.

“There have been reviews, and promises to change the culture, but nothing changes,” the source told the Daily Telegraph.

“Increasingly, Airservices has prioritised cost over safety. We’re worried about what’s going to happen if things don’t change.”

Scott Nugent, president of air traffic controllers’ union Civil Air, told Australian Aviation that the survey results are “alarming”.

“We’ve been seeking the full results, including other locations outside Brisbane, for some time, and Airservices is yet to provide them,” he said.

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“With the issues we have seen at Airservices in recent months, these results are not a surprise.”

An Airservices spokesperson provided some national data from the survey, which showed an overall increase in employee satisfaction.

“The proportion of employees who said safety is prioritised rose five percentage points to 54 per cent, confidence in executive and senior leadership increased three points to 25 per cent, and overall employee engagement rose four points to 53 per cent,” the spokesperson said.

“Culture Compass measures employees’ perceptions of their workplace and should not be confused with an assessment of the operational safety of Australia’s air navigation system.”

It comes as the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) has flagged workforce management at Airservices as a potential topic for 2026-27. The air navigation service provider has come under scrutiny in recent months after a series of runway “near-misses” at Sydney Airport.

“Airservices Australia delivers safety-critical air navigation services and aviation rescue firefighting across the national network, functions that depend on a highly specialised workforce operating under multiple industrial agreements and certification regimes,” the ANAO said on its website.

“Shortfalls or mismatches in skills, numbers, locations, or rostering of this workforce can materially affect the service continuity, cost efficiency, and safety assurance or air transportation.

“The ANAO could examine workforce management in Airservices Australia, including whether its workforce is strategically planned, sustainably resourced, and effectively deployed.”

A Sydney Airport working group has said there is no “immediate safety risk” to the travelling public despite the recent incidents.