air-traffic control

American  

[air-traf-ik] / ˈɛərˌtræf ɪk /

noun

1. a government service that facilitates the safe and orderly movement of aircraft within and between airports by receiving and processing data from radar and devices that monitor local weather conditions and by maintaining radio contact with pilots.

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air-traffic control British  

noun

1. an organization that determines the altitude, speed, and direction at which planes fly in a given area, giving instructions to pilots by radio

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Other Word Forms

• air-traffic controller
  noun

Etymology

Origin of air-traffic control

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

air-traffic control

It all requires careful coordination with air-traffic control at Southampton Airport, since its flight path is directly over Samba’s river.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

Then their pilot got a message from Venezuelan air-traffic control.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

Since arriving late last week, U.S. military personnel have repaired and certified one runway at Caracas’s main international airport after both runways were damaged and part of the air-traffic control tower collapsed, U.S. officials said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

The FAA said United’s expansion will stress the Chicago airport’s runway, terminal and air-traffic control systems.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 6, 2026

The Transportation Department is working to overhaul the air-traffic control system, seeking billions of dollars of additional funding to upgrade antiquated systems.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 24, 2026