Small Transport
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 23
Confusion
Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Company Policy; Human Factors; Procedure
Aircraft Y was inbound to ZZZ over ZZZZZ Intersection level at 100. Aircraft X was outbound from ZZZ level at 090. I called traffic on both aircraft and received acknowledgment from both aircraft. When they were passing each other I noticed Aircraft X climbing into Aircraft Y. I questioned the pilot and he replied he was turning away from Aircraft Y and descending back down to 090. The conflict alert alarm went off at my station. I asked the pilot why he climbed and he said he thought Aircraft Y was descending. Aircraft Company X; aircraft mostly fly over water yet are permitted to not have water safety gear. They need to remain within a certain glide slope to land for safety reasons. This makes them very hard to control because of this special need. It doesn't matter if you are a half mile off shore or twenty miles out to sea you should be required to provide ocean safety equipment on your passenger flights. Their special needs for vectoring and altitudes have created many problems in the few years they have been flying. I would have kept Aircraft X further away from Aircraft Y if it were any other aircraft but was trying to keep Aircraft X as close to shore as I could without penalizing Aircraft Y.
TRACON Controller reported of two aircraft that traffic was called to on one another. One aircraft climbed into the others proximity and the Controller questioned the pilot as to why they climbed. Pilot responded they thought the other aircraft was descending. Controller reported that one aircraft's air carrier is not required to have water safety gear on board and is confused as to why they do not have it; but others are required to. This puts more strain on the Controller by having to keep the aircraft within gliding distance to land.