Sydney, June 10 (ANI): Air traffic controllers, who are responsible for the safety of passengers on Australian planes, have been involved in a series of workplace arguments in control towers and centres.

The incidents involving air traffic staff at Air Services Australia included intimidation, physical threats, bullying and harassment, and have raised questions of a possible threat to passenger safety, The Courier Mail reports.

Documents released under Freedom of Information laws have revealed 65 critical cases of misconduct since June 2010, out of which 16 cases were against air traffic controllers.

Independent senator Nick Xenophon said the cases exposed a dysfunctional organisation, and he confirmed at least four whistleblowers had already come forward.

A controller was sent to counselling after threatening physical violence against a fellow staffer.

One worker was found to be sleeping on the job multiple times.

Thousands of Australian air travellers are unwittingly involved in mid-air safety scares every month, a dossier of federal aviation incidents revealed.

The shocking cases came after Australia's air safety watchdog ordered a top-to-bottom review of Air Services Australia after too many reports.

The Air Transport Safety Bureau confirmed that staff culture was a main factor being investigated after the increase of near misses in the sky from 2008.

All of the staff misconduct occurred under the reign of former Air Services Australia CEO Greg Russell, who quit the government-owned body in May, six months before his contract was due to end. (ANI)