Commercial Fixed Wing
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 8.5
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Distraction; Situational Awareness; Workload
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Diverted
Human Factors; Procedure
ZJX shut off ZTL for all Orlando; FL (MCO) arrivals with no advanced notice. This led to both the Macon Hi and Hampton Ultra Hi sectors having to issue no notice; random holding to enroute aircraft. Additionally; a TMU altitude restriction was in place to have the MCO arrivals cross the ZJX/ZTL boundary FL310 or below. A few aircraft diverted to alternate airports. The delays were significant with no idea provided by ZJX as to when they would begin accepting aircraft again. Further investigation would find that no equipment malfunction was to blame and this was all controller inflicted. The ripple effect was felt throughout ZTL for 90 minutes after this began. ZJX TMU admitted that the controller working the sector was 'not used to that volume of traffic'. ZTL had additional restrictions for other airports in the ZJX airspace (TPA; ORL; DAB; SFB; JAX) which led to further complexity in trying to comply with these while missing the MCO holding aircraft. ZJX TMU has been known to be inferior. They have a reputation throughout the Agency to communicate with their own people and provide the adjacent facilities with realistic requests. Given the diminishing staffing of ZTL and the expected demand of Spring and Summer weather; effective Traffic Management roles in both facilities (ZJX and ZTL) is going to be paramount. ZJX TMU's methods and ability to function within the NAS needs to be reviewed.
ZTL Controller reported of no notice holding. The ZTL Controller discovered that the delays were all inflicted by a workload overloaded ZJX Controller. Reporter claimed ZJX TMU to be inferior and that the methods and ability of the ZJX TMU need to be reviewed.