An Airbus A320 was forced to circle over the island of Corsica for over an hour while ground staff tried to wake up an air traffic controller who had fallen asleep.
The plane, belonging to French airline Air Corsica, was descending into Napoleon Bonaparte airport on the Mediterranean island in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
But the plane was left in limbo after its radio calls to the control tower went unanswered.
Just one controller was on call for the delayed flight arriving from Paris - and the 2,400-metre runway was plunged into darkness, according to local reports.
The plane, belonging to French airline Air Corsica, was descending into Napoleon Bonaparte airport when chaos unfolded
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As a fire crew stationed at the airport desperately attempted to contact the lone controller, Air Corsica pilots took the decision to circle the Gulf of Ajaccio after liaising with regional controllers.
The captain aboard the flight said: “The fire personnel got no response from the tower and alerted the gendarmerie.
“In a career of several decades I have never had to handle such a situation.
"We did a little tour. At no time was there any panic. Everyone stayed calm."
Air Corsica pilots took the decision to circle the Gulf of Ajaccio after liaising with regional controllers
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The aircraft had plans in place to divert to the nearby Bastia-Poretta Airport if it did not receive clearance for approach.
When airport staff bypassed security locks on the doors of the control tower and climbed up the stairs, they discovered the controller fast asleep at his post.
After waking him up, the controller cleared the flight to land and turned on the runway lights.
After the incident, the air traffic staff member was tested for drugs and alcohol in his system, which showed he was clean.
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Fire crew stationed at Ajaccio airport desperately attempted to contact the lone controller
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The French Civil Aviation Authority and Ajaccio Napoleon Bonaparte Airport have yet to comment on the incident.
Air traffic controllers in France have frequently carried out industrial action over fatigue and stress brought on by poor working conditions.
However, they have some of the highest salaries for controller staff in the world, with some earning as much as €120,000 (£104,000) every year.
They also retire on full pensions aged between 50 and 59 due to their stressful work.
The country's largest air traffic control union SNCTA previously announced strikes for September 18-19, but has since axed the plans after the French Government collapsed.
Instead, the union has planned extended strikes between October 7 and October 10.
SNCTA said: “For several years, the governance of air traffic control has been characterised by mistrust, punitive practices, and brutal managerial methods.
“The absence of a minister of transport currently makes it impossible to achieve demands at the ministerial level.”