At Other Times Reading, Texting, Working On Laptops

Some air traffic controllers at Westchester County Airport in New York State have been videotaped sleeping on duty. They were also secretly recorded reading, texting, and working on laptops during their shifts.

The video was captured by an unnamed employee at the White Plains airport and given to television station WNYW. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino have called for an investigation of the activities shown on the tapes. "If these allegations are correct, they are highly disturbing and require attention at the highest levels of the Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Transportation," Gillibrand said in a letter.

The station reports that the FAA said in a statement that off-duty controllers are allowed to use a portion of the tower as a break room because of a broken-down elevator. In a separate letter, Astorino said that explanation was not satisfactory.

The FAA has not yet determined if an investigation is warranted.

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.gillibrand.senate.gov