Center and Tower/TRACON Controllers reported their airspace became unsafe when the Tower and TRACON closed unexpectedly due to an employee contracting a minor illness.
Synopsis
Center and Tower/TRACON Controllers reported their airspace became unsafe when the Tower and TRACON closed unexpectedly due to an employee contracting a minor illness.
Narrative
Share with all parties requested & encouraged! While still at home received message to remain outside the facility upon arrival due to COVID cleaning. Arrived at facility for normal shift start time and then waited approximately 2 hours before being allowed into the building. At that time the Tower was still operating but Approach Control had given up airspace to Center. The first 2 floors were clean; but since the Tower was still operating it had not been cleaned. Though it was a possibility; Controllers were instructed not to reopen the TRACON; nor answer the constantly ringing telephones or radio frequencies. From about XA30L until XB00L the evening shift Controllers sat idle while aircraft were repeatedly calling for outbound clearances; and telephones rang unanswered. During that time; one of the Controllers was considered exposed to the person with COVID and then removed from the operational area and sent home. That left only 6 Controllers and 1 supervisor to run the entirety of the operation. Standard configuration is Clearance Delivery (CD); Ground Control (GC); and Local Control (LC) operating in the Tower; [3 sectors] operating in the TRACON. Obviously with significant traffic holding awaiting airport and airspace reopening additional positions were going to be required. Local management coordinated and collaborated to operate ATC limited for staffing after the COVID cleaning was over.While we have a repeatedly closed for COVID cleaning; normally we reopen the Tower and then shortly thereafter the TRACON. Though we had an opening checklist guideline to follow; previous Tower only operations caused significant delays. About XB30L we began to open the Tower. As the opening Clearance Delivery Controller; I first disposed of all flight progress strips because of the uncertainty associated with whether the flights were issued; departed; or cancelled. I then called ZZZ ARTCC XXX sector and requested a list of all flights with clearances issued; releases given; and flights awaiting clearances if any. The list was surprisingly short for the number of aircraft on the ground and moving. I updated the ATIS for reopening; however; forgot to show the TRACON still closed. I then announced the ATIS code and started receiving requests for outbound clearances. I had the coordinator verify the required initial altitude and departure frequency for the ZZZ ARTCC departure sector. I proceeded to issue a series of clearances utilizing the appropriate altitude and frequency. I was unable to utilize any digital clearances during this entire event. While we can change the initial altitude on electronic clearances; we did not have the ZZZ ARTCC departure frequency programmed as something that could be issued. When I was briefing my relief; I made sure to state the initial altitude and departure frequency as well as the handwritten strip reminder. Apparently after I left he began issuing electronic clearances as normal with the closed TRACON frequency and higher initial altitudes. I asked the supervisor if he wanted me to add the frequency as an option to select so that we could alleviate much of the workload on CD. He said not to change anything though I could have accomplished the change in a short amount of time. Coordinator position!There isn't one established in the Tower; and it is absolutely required for ATC limited Tower only operations. This needs to be addressed and created; maybe in lieu of the never used Tower positions. Tower Only procedures with ZZZ ARTCC need to be collaborated on and solidified. Previously ZZZ was restricted to one aircraft at a time with required down times and manual release coordinated in addition to inbounding aircraft. This is an extremely high level of coordination required for each inbound and outbound aircraft. It also results in significant delays for outbound aircraft. ZZZ is a radar facility with a certified display with controllers capable of providing much more efficient operations. It was later coordinated that as a limited radar facility we would provide visual separation between arriving and departing aircraft; and this improved operations marginally. I believe it could further be improved upon to the point where Tower would provide a minimum of 7 mile separation between subsequent departures and provide rolling calls; as well as lateral or visual separation with inbound traffic. Establish an agreed upon workable and less restrictive operation for Tower Only operations for a limited radar Tower. Create a cab coordinator position. Solidify and improve the checklist for Tower opening.
Second reporter narrative
On date ZZZ Approach went ATC Alert followed by ATC Limited at XA:30 local. And then shortly after ATC ZERO. This went on for roughly 5.5 hours due to COVID Cleaning and Staffing Issues. When ZZZ Approach goes ATC zero we are set up to do a one in one out operation with ZZZ/ZZZ1/ZZZ2/ZZZ3 [Airports]. These are all four busy towered airports. During this time the arrival rate was never reduced to allow for an ATC Zero operation to be effective. Many aircraft were delayed; vectored and a dew diverted because of fuel. Communication was an issue ZZZ/ZZZ1/ZZZ2 [Airports] all didn't know the dial lines to call our sectors for down times and releases.Tower need to have dial lines written down for reference. Communication between the Towers that remained open and center needs to be more structured and under. Arrival rates should be adjusted to be effective. Tower shouldn't be allowed to close for 'Cleaning' in the middle of and arrival departure push. More effective training should be done in the lab during recurrent were we practice a realistic ATC Zero event. In the event ZZZ approach does go down it would be nice to have access to frequencies that actually work to the ground and have the ability to open a sector that is just approach.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.