A Market Failure in Air Traffic Control?

There has been a disturbing rash of stories lately about air traffic controllers sleeping on the job. Fortunately, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is on the case. The FAA will implement new regulations this week requiring more time off between shifts and tighter restrictions on late-night shifts for traffic controllers.

This illustrates why air traffic control is simply too important an issue to leave to the free market. Lives are literally at stake every day. These sleeping-on-the-job stories are a classic example of market failure. It is time to put the government in charge of air traffic control and take it out of the hands of greedy capitalists.