Air-traffic controller strike across Europe affects flights to and from Spain
Thursday, January 30, 2014 @ 10:34 AM
AIR-TRAFFIC controllers are on strike across Europe, meaning flights are likely to be disrupted throughout this evening (Wednesday) and tomorrow (Thursday).
Controllers in Spain are not on strike because by the time their Europe-wide union, ATCEUC announced the protest, it was too late under Spanish law as they were not able to give enough notice to the government.
But Italian and Portuguese air-traffic controllers were on strike today and the latter will be tomorrow, joining those of France, Greece, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Austria.
Even flights to and from Spain from countries not involved in the strike may suffer delays, however, due to a general ripple effect across the continent.
Also, airlines travelling across countries where the strike is in place will have to divert to avoid unmanned airspace, possibly involving flights going via Spain to reach their destination and clogging up sky room needed by pilots taking off from or landing on Spanish soil.
The European Commission wants to deregulate key air services, which will include air-traffic controllers, who say this will have a massive impact on safety, quality and, of course, put their jobs and income at risk.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com