Europe-wide air traffic strike could cause flight chaos next week
An air traffic strike next Wednesday could cause major flight disruptions in 28 European countries.
The Air Traffic Controllers European Unions Co-ordination (ATCEUC), which represents 14,000 flight controllers, is planning a strike over safety and savings targets by the European Commission.
According to Travel Mole, Germany's air traffic controllers are planning a strike for one hour on 29 January and could not do more without the risk of legal action being taken against them.
The Daily Mail reports that in a statement last week, ATCEUC President Volker Dick said: "Last October, ATCEUC was given assurances that the European Commission was finally willing to discuss our views on the performance scheme, regarding the lack of real safety targets and the unrealistic cost efficiency targets.
"Having this in mind, all 28 unions members of ATCEUC decided unanimously to postpone the Action Day scheduled for the 10 October.
"But just one day after our meeting with the Commission, and our previous rejection of the proposal, already including over-ambitious targets, we came across an EC proposal even more unrealistic, clearly showing that the former declaration of good faith, in solving the things out through an open dialogue, was a big fraud."
Related article
French ferry strike leaves hundreds of tourists stranded