Call for military to help with Spanish air strikes
Tuesday, 05 Aug, 2010
0
Ryanair has called on the Spanish government to intervene with military help if the country’s air traffic control workers go on strike.
Spanish air traffic controllers are threatening a strike in mid August which could affect hundreds of thousands of UK passengers.
If it goes ahead, the strike is expected to start on August 18 and last for three days, although the date and duration have not yet been confirmed.
More than 2,000 controllers have voted to strike in protest at government plans to change their working hours and reduce overtime pay.
The Spanish government has said in the event of a strike it will seek to maintain ‘minimum services’.
Ryanair says the threatened strike and recent action by French ATC workers highlight the need for a standardised Europe-wide air traffic control.
A spokesperson said: “Air transport and tourism are vital to the Spanish economy and the Government must ensure that Spanish airports remain open during strikes by calling on the military to provide air traffic control services … this happens in many other European countries when strikes threaten air transport.
“[The threatened] Spanish air traffic control strikes and the industrial action taken by French ATC workers in recent weeks highlight the urgent need for a standardised Europe-wide system of air traffic control to ensure that striking air traffic controllers in one country do not hold the travelling public to ransom.
"Under a standardised Europe-wide air traffic control system, strikes would be covered by controllers in other countries – ensuring that passengers are not disrupted by the strike action of very well-paid ATC workers.”
by Debbie Ward
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Clearing CSS/JS assets' cache... Please wait until this notice disappears...
Updating... Please wait...
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season