A record 43 air traffic controller licenses were awarded this year; the most in the history of the Polish Air Navigation Services Agency – said Magdalena Jaworska-Maćkowiak, president of PANSA. She added that in 2025, the Agency was simultaneously carrying out many tasks supporting the development of air navigation.
The Polish Air Navigation Services Agency (PANSA) is the only institution in Poland that trains and employs civilian flight controllers and manages air traffic.. PANSA ensures the safety of aircraft landing and departing from Polish airports, as well as those flying through our country.
–2025 was a demanding, but really good year for the Polish Air Navigation Services Agency, Jaworska-Maćkowiak told journalists. As she said, The agency carried out many key tasks in parallel – both making up for previous delays and implementing projects ensuring the modern development of Polish air navigation.
The head of PANSA drew attention to the record number of 43 new air traffic controller licenses this year. – This is an impressive number. It's the first time we have so many of them. This is not only an influx of young people who will strengthen our ranks, but also a growing interest in the controller profession and work in the Agency, she said. As she emphasized, it is crucial that new employees stay at PANSA for their entire career.
Director of the Training Office at PANSA, Grzegorz Knast, noted that a larger number of qualified air traffic controllers means not only operational support, but also improved conditions for training, renewing qualifications and directing employees to additional activities developing competences.
Knast explained that the controller's license allows for independent operational work, and training is conducted throughout the country – depending on the current operational capabilities and needs of individual airports. The greatest demand is in Warsaw.
The training period is two to two and a half years. The first half-year is devoted to learning the theoretical foundations of the profession, including: navigation rules and aviation law. For the next half-hour, as part of the simulator part, candidates learn to manage air traffic in an isolated environment. Then they begin practical training, which involves learning under the supervision of an experienced instructor directly at the workplace. This stage lasts about 12 months and ends with a licensing exam. Passing it gives you the right to practice as an air traffic controller.
A profession that requires speed, precision and new staff
To become a controller, you must have a set of specific features and competences. The most important of them are: the ability to make quick decisions, the ability to work individually and in a team, spatial imagination, very good knowledge of English and impeccable health. Higher education is not necessary, although it is welcomed.
-Our profession is still dominated by men, although there are no substantive reasons for this. We invite as many women as possible, because it is a profession for everyone, Knast noted.
Jaworska-Maćkowiak said that PANSA is also preparing for the increased demand for staff after the end of the war in Ukraine and the return of some transit traffic. The plan assumes maintaining the intensive pace of training at least until 2029.
Dynamic growth of air traffic in Poland and investments for the future
Referring to the situation of air traffic, Jaworska-Maćkowiak pointed out that through and inbound traffic in Poland is growing the fastest in Europe. She pointed to Warsaw, Kraków, as well as Gdańsk, Wrocław, Katowice and Rzeszów as examples of dynamically developing airports. She added that despite these challenges, there was a low level of aircraft delays this summer.
The president also recalled that the closure of the Ukrainian, Belarusian and Russian space changed the route system in Europe. – Some transit traffic bypasses Poland today, but we are preparing for its return – she noted. She added that intensive civil-military cooperation is also crucial. – We ensure civil-military cooperation because the military presence in Polish airspace is very large – she emphasized.
Last month, PANSA announced that it expects to complete over 90% of the projects in 2025. investments planned for this year. The agency then recalled that in the years 2025-2029 it would allocate PLN 1.4 billion for investments. As PANSA pointed out, these expenditures are necessary to be ready for the increase in air traffic over Poland after the end of the war in Ukraine, and additionally to repair the investment collapse, which – according to PANSA – was the result of the negligence of the previous authorities of the Agency.
Air traffic control is divided into three basic areas – airport control service (TWR – Aerodrome control tower), approach control service (APP – Approach control service) and area control service (ACC – Area control center). The task of each of them is to control the plane at a different stage of the journey.
PANSA employs over 600 air traffic controllers who provide services to nearly 3,000 passengers every day. planes moving over Poland. The airspace supervised and controlled by PANSA has over 334,000 areas. square kilometers and is one of the largest in Europe. (PAP)
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