Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 423
Time Pressure; Confusion; Distraction; Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types
General None Reported / Taken
ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Procedure; Human Factors; Environment - Non Weather Related
We experienced a disruption in ATC service because the ZZZ Tower evacuated due to Coronavirus concerns. This is the second occurrence of ATC Controllers immediately abandoning their duty stations with airborne aircraft to avoid exposure risk. This protocol poses an unacceptable risk to Aircrew and Passengers; and should be re-evaluated based on the number of lives put at risk versus the number of Controllers avoiding virus exposure. If ATC Controllers won't stay at their duty station long enough to recover airborne aircraft in these scenarios; we should be dispatching every flight with a suitable alternate until the Corona Virus crisis is contained.
Air carrier Captain reported a Control Tower that was ATC Zero; leading to a disruption in communications.