Mr Smith took out full-page newspaper advertisements last year criticising the safety of allowing late planes to land without guidance from air traffic controllers with access to radar.

In July, Federal Transport Minister Anthony Albanese announced that from February, air traffic controllers based in Melbourne would step in when the airport's tower was unmanned between 10pm and 6am.

Yesterday, the federal government confirmed the service would not be ready for at least another six months.

Mr Smith said he was not surprised about the delay to the introduction of round-the-clock air traffic control at Launceston Airport.

The former head of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority said he told Prime Minister Julia Gillard in July it would be impossible to train staff to perform landings in six months.

A spokesman for Mr Albanese blamed the delay on a combination of the federal election in August last year, the following month in limbo and a request from air safety bodies for more time to educate airport users about the change.

Mr Smith was also frustrated about the lack of transparency over how the extended service would be provided, such as whether more employees were needed or existing controllers' duties would be extended.

"I don't know what they're doing. I can't find out," Mr Smith said.

He called for an overseas expert to provide advice on the matter.

"We have never offered a 24-hour service from the (Melbourne) centre. We will have a serious accident and then they'll look at what happens overseas.

"I fly to Tassie all the time, I don't want to die."

But Mr Albanese's spokesman rejected the need for an international consultant.

"We have faith in our own safety expertise," he said.