Commercial Fixed Wing
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 5
Communication Breakdown; Distraction; Situational Awareness; Workload
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic
Procedure; Human Factors; Weather
While assigned to perform the duties of CIC [Controller In Charge] Departure; the controller working the South Departure position requested from me a single heading off the runway instead of reduced divergence RNAV departures. The controller was having to merge the two streams of traffic back together approximately 10 miles after departure in order to fly through a single break in the weather. The two streams of departures were initially climbing to 10;000 feet and the controller was unable to get higher due to a high volume of arrivals now coming into the airport.  Due to the complexity and volume of departure traffic; a single heading was needed to ensure a safe operation and I immediately made a call to the CC [Cab Coordinator] in the Tower making this request. A handful of departures departed and a second phone call was made to the Tower before the controller received the single heading as requested. Immediately following the single heading being established on the south side of the airport; the north controller requested a single heading off his runway due to aircraft deviating for weather 5 miles off the departure end of the runway. I promptly called the CC in the tower and requested a single heading off the North side of the airport. I was questioned as to why I needed the heading. I responded that it was due to weather and received no response from the supervisor in the tower.  I came off the line to help the North controller with an aircraft that departed with a timed out flight plan. I informed the Operations Manager in the TRACON of my inability to get the single heading I needed from the supervisor in the tower. I called the CC again and asked for a heading and was told he would call me back. I called back again and stopped departures. The unwillingness of the supervisor to comply with the request made by myself and the departure controllers was a detriment to the safety of the operation. A number of airplanes departed both runways still on the RNAV departure after the request was made for a single heading.   The duties and responsibilities of CI-Departure require a certain amount of authority in order to create an environment that is safe; orderly and expeditious. During this particular scenario; the process was completely broken down and the operation suffered an unnecessary impact.
A80 Departure Control in Charge (CIC) requests a single flow off of ATL airport due to weather. He coordinates with the Tower and reports that after the coordination the departures are still coming off the airport as normal operations dictate.