Peter wrote:
The idiotic rules implement a limit on planes in a sector regardless of altitude.
That’s because the sector has a single controller.
That is an entirely circular argument.
Peter wrote:
That is an entirely circular argument.
Please explain. The IFPS doesn’t determine the sector boundaries. The ANSPs do.
Circular argument too.
It is like it is because that is how it is.
The basic problem is the stupid rule about max # of planes in a given sector even if they are nowhere near each other.
That is why when there is any “staff reduction” the system starts to kick people out and issues a CTOT.
What do you mean is new?
Nothing new but staff shortage more easily declared when implementing flow management.
This CTOT mayhem is obviously made for mass transit aka. airline traffic.
GA flights <2000kg could be CTOT (due enroute ACC capacity) excluded and it wouldn’t hurt anybody.
Snoopy wrote:
GA flights <2000kg could be CTOT (due enroute ACC capacity) excluded and it wouldn’t hurt anybody.
I agree, but ACC capacity would need to be differently defined and managed, at least in some countries. In Switzerland CTOT are mostly related to Skyguide resource load limitations. Each controller can only handle a certain number of aircraft. The greater a units vertical airspace responsibility, the more likely GA will be swept up in staff load limits caused by traffic much higher.
Each controller can only handle a certain number of aircraft
That’s completely daft too. If you pay me 150k or whatever it is now (NATS were paying 100-120k 10 years ago) I will happily sit there with 10 TBs spaced by 1000ft vertically, from 5000ft to 15000ft 
If a controller says he can’t manage that, somebody ought to ask what is that salary paid for, because your granny could do that job.
Obviously there is more to do that watch enroute traffic but to simply limit sector capacity to a flat number is bonkers.
staff load limits
Right
Peter wrote:
If a controller says he can’t manage that, somebody ought to ask what is that salary paid for, because your granny could do that job.
Agree that it’s daft. But it’s driven top-down, not bottom-up. Since two airliners collided over lake Constance in the middle of the night, Skyguide is gun-shy and ultra ultra conservative in their staff loading.
Really another topic, but Skyguide had a complete IT outage across Switzerland one morning recently (2021/2022?) at about 05:00 LT. They were completely cut off from the rest of Europe. They issued a NOTAM (via telephone to Germany, I think), closing Swiss airspace completely. Like the US during 9-11. All aircraft were grounded, including all VFR traffic in Golf airspace. Not even local circuits were allowed. It lasted about 4-5 hours.
