Officers from the fire department rushed to the aid of an air traffic controller at the VC Bird International Airport yesterday after he was reportedly stuck in an elevator for over one hour.

The AntiguaSun understands that the air traffic controller arrived at the airport at around 5:40 a.m. and was about to make his way to the control tower in the elevator when it broke down.

Fire officers and the maintenance crew at the airport struggled for some time before getting the elevator doors opened.

Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Guild of Antigua and Barbuda Air Traffic Controllers (GABATCO), Wesley Joseph, said the situation had in no way hampered the operations at the country’s main port of entry.

“He was shaken up from the ordeal but work continued as normal because the night shift was still on duty,” Joseph told the SUN.

Joseph further stated that some of the air traffic controllers were upset because with the elevator not working, this meant that they had to use the stairway, which is not well kept.

He said some members of staff refused to take the stairs because it was very dark, dirty and dusty. “Quite a few officers suffer from asthma and other health-related health issues,” Joseph said.

Joseph also noted that it was not the first time that the elevator stopped working but it had recently been maintained on a regular basis.

“I don’t understand what happened because only a few weeks ago the maintenance workers looked at it,” Joseph stated.

Operations Manager at the airport, Edward Gilkes, also confirmed that there was no work stoppage. “There was a situation where the elevator at the control tower became dysfunctional which at some point also had an air traffic controller stuck in the elevator,” Gilkes said.

“There was never any industrial action or any work stoppage; there was traffic in and out of the VC Bird (airport) as per normal,” Gilkes maintained.

Up to yesterday afternoon, the elevators were still being repaired.