Morning mail: understaffing may disrupt aviation industry, at least 1,000 die in Afghan earthquake

The union representing the nation’s air traffic controllers has warned that understaffing problems are so severe they threaten to undermine service. Photograph: Peter Rae/AAP

Good morning. A warning has been sounded about potential disruption to aviation due to a staffing shortage at Australia’s air traffic control agency. And an earthquake in Afghanistan has left at least 1,000 people dead and many more injured.

The air traffic control agency is relying on hundreds of hours of overtime as it struggles to fill shifts, a union analysis of rostering documents shows. A staff union has warned that problems at Airservices Australia are severe, saying: “The consequences ultimately are a reduction of air service provision, which could mean airspace closures, potentially, or a restriction of services or hours.”