Spanish Air Traffic Controllers threaten a complicated summer

Spanish Air Traffic Controllers threaten a complicated summer
larger | smaller
By h.b. - Jul 18, 2010 - 5:12 PM
There have been problems in Barcelona due to a shortage of staff

The Air Traffic Control Tower in Málaga - Photo 20minutos archive

There have been fewer delays than expected at El Prat airport in Barcelona today, Sunday, as air traffic controllers have used absenteeism to put pressure on AENA management ahead of talks on pay. 28 of the 61 controllers failed to turn up for work, with 24 of them claiming medical reasons for their absence.
Delays of less than an hour have resulted on three international flights during the morning, although there were longer delays in the afternoon.

There were also problems in Alicante and on the Baleares. At El Altet there have been delays of 99 minutes in as many as 21 flights, as a consequence of the action by the controllers in Barcelona. In Palma eleven flights have been cancelled, ten of them international services, and again the reason given is the lack of personnel in Barcelona air traffic control.

(Get the latest live flight information here)

Air traffic controllers in Spain are threatening ‘a complicated summer’, and claim that the high level of absenteeism and medical time off is due to the stress which has been created by the lack of personnel. Union USCA said the number of controllers off sick had increased over recent months as a consequence of the pressure of work. They claim that rotas are too tight and so any absence has its consequences.

Minister for Development, José Blanco, said the controllers were causing ‘serious damage’ to the country, the airlines and the travellers. He said that AENA had asked Social Security to inspect such high numbers of people off sick and legal action would be taken if irregularities were found.

He called for ‘responsibility’ from the controllers.

Click here for related stories

mobile |

email this article | print

printer friendly page

More Spain News : National

Readers' comments:
Please keep to the subject. Opinions published here are of our visitors, not the Typically Spanish team. Comments which go against Spanish laws or which are libellous are not allowed. We reserve the right to delete any comment we wish. Placing a comment indicates you have read our terms and conditions and privacy policy.

Por favor, céntrate en el tema. Son las opiniones de los internautas, y no las de Typically Spanish. No está permitido verter comentarios contrarios a las leyes españolas o injuriantes. Reservado el derecho a eliminar los comentarios que consideremos fuera de tema. Escribir un comentario indica que has leído nuestros condiciones de uso y politica de privacidad.