Given the unique nature and extreme work requirements of air traffic control units (e.g., high work demands, intolerance for mistakes, long working hours and night shifts), this study problematizes two critical yet understudied variables in this context, namely, workplace loneliness and work family conflict, and suggests a model in which paternalistic leadership mitigates them through boosted work engagement. Specifically, the study examined the mediating role of work engagement in the links between paternalistic leadership and workplace loneliness, and paternalistic leadership and work family conflict. Data were collected from air traffic controllers employed in İstanbul. The results of structural equation modeling analysis supported the hypothesis that work engagement fully mediated the links in the model. Paternalistic leadership, through increasing work engagement, decreases the workplace loneliness and work family conflict levels of air traffic controllers. The findings provide valuable insights and managerial implications. •Paternalistic leadership fosters work engagement.•Work engagement fully mediates the relationship between paternalistic leadership and workplace loneliness.•Work engagement fully mediates the relationship between paternalistic leadership and work-family conflict.•Paternalistic leadership, though fostering work engagement, mitigates workplace loneliness and work family conflict.