Juba Airport Authorities have sacked the entire air traffic controllers for alleged gross misconduct.

Sources at the Juba International Airport (JIA) revealed that the sacked controllers were claimed to have been communicating directly to pilots in the air, when landing and when taking off and sometimes delaying the planes without proper reasons.

However, when contacted for comment on telephone, South Sudan Civil Aviation Chief Executive Officer, Mathiang Maker Thon said “such issues cannot be discussed on phone but need face to face interview”.

Earlier, sources told Juba Monitor that the sacked controllers were seven after they were found to be demanding unauthorized payments from aviation operators including pilots before landing and when taking off the ground.

An independent source confided that the practice had been going on for some time until early this week when the airport administration took the action to sack the controllers.

The sacked workers have been seen roaming the airport premises seeking audience with airport authorities but with little success. The authority claimed the action by the sacked workers created a bad image and relationship between aviation players and the airport.