FAA officials say they can't provide statistics on the disposition of sexual harassment complaints that would show how tough they've been. The allegations of harassment and the complaint process add stress to an already a high-stress profession. We work in a high-pressure environment. Louis International Airport. A lot of ways we let off steam is jokes and comments.
Controllers dress casually in polo shirts and shorts.
The atmosphere appears relaxed, but things can get tense quickly. Air traffic control requires lightning decision-making and interaction with other controllers. The talk can be blunt, sometimes crude. The men have been able to vent with other men around them in a very forceful or profane way, and some of this is being taken away from them. . . .They have not been taught how do it in the proper manner. The agency has sent memos to its airport tower and radar tracking centers over the past few years filled with warnings about sexual harassment.