Airport Airline AirTraffic Strikes & Problems

Airport staff threaten strike in Frankfurt

2012-02-09T21:54:14+01:00

Airport staff threaten strike in Frankfurt

Workers in charge of marshalling planes in an out of parking positions at Frankfurt airport have threatened to strike next week, which would paralyse Germany's largest hub.

The airport's operator Fraport has rejected a mediator's proposal in negotiations over wages for 200 so-called apron control staff, who work around aircraft parking positions, the union of German air traffic control workers GdF said on Thursday.

The union will decide by the middle of next week over a possible strike, which could take place Thursday, Feb. 16, at the earliest, it said.

Air Canada pilots prepare for possible strike vote with Valentine’s Day deadline looming

2012-02-08T02:07:38+01:00

Air Canada pilots prepare for possible strike vote with Valentine’s Day deadline looming

As the clock ticks down to a Valentine’s Day legal strike or lockout deadline, the union representing Air Canada’s 3,000 pilots is worried the company may try to rewrite the contract.

In an internal newsletter issued Monday, obtained by the Star, master executive council chair Gary Tarves writes “the company has not yet provided any firm commitment that it will not unilaterally change the terms and conditions of our collective agreement, which it will be in a legal position to do on February 14th, when the ‘cooling off period’ in the Canada Labour Code expires.”

Dundee Aiport staff to vote on strike action

2012-02-07T09:22:50+01:00

Dundee Aiport staff to vote on strike action

FIRE-FIGHTERS and other workers at Dundee Airport are to be balloted on industrial action by Prospect, the union which represents more than 300 workers at Highlands and Islands airports.

They are being balloted over a potential one-day strike and an overtime ban in a demand for harmonisation on pay with staff at other Highlands & Island Airports (HIAL) sites.

Air France Workers Seek Strike to Protest Planned Bill

2012-02-09T20:29:39+01:00

27-01-2012 - Air France Workers Seek Strike to Protest Planned Bill

See also posting December 23.

Air France SA unions for pilots, cabin attendants and ground workers have called on the airline’s employees to strike from Feb. 6 at 1:00 a.m. Paris time through Feb. 9 to protest a bill going before the French senate that would oblige each employee planning to strike to give 48 hours’ notice, the unions said in an e-mailed statement.

The unions said in the statement they didn’t necessarily think the bill would be voted into law. Air France considers the subject of guaranteeing services at airports a matter for the state and is committed to preserving employees’ right to strike, the carrier said in an e-mailed statement.

David Ricatte, a spokesman for the CGT union and a flight mechanic said by telephone that he didn’t know how many workers would join the strike and said workers would have a clearer idea on Feb. 6.

UPDATE FEB 5: CLICK HERE FOR AIR FRANCE FLIGHT INFO

UPDATE FEB 9: France's leading pilots' union threatened Thursday to extend a strike that has canceled hundreds of flights worldwide and cost Air France tens of millions of euros

Israel - Strike at Ben Gurion Airport

2012-02-03T15:04:05+01:00

Israel - Strike at Ben Gurion Airport

Court rescinds injunction; Histadrut to launch general strike

The Labor Court has rescinded an injunction it has issued against the Histadrut labor union's intention to launch a general strike.

The judges said they won't stop the strike that is to take place on Wednesday. However, the court said it will only allow the Ben Gurion International Airport to halt its activity until 12 pm.

Malev Stops Flying as Hungary Cuts Its Losses

2012-02-03T10:29:07+01:00

Malev Stops Flying as Hungary Cuts Its Losses

Hungarian flag-carrier Malev ceased operating early on Friday morning after 66 years of almost continuous service, after its planes were held overseas for unpaid debts.

See the press release

Hungary Prepares Possible Malev Grounding

2012-02-02T08:51:51+01:00

Hungary Prepares Possible Malev Grounding

Hungary's government published decrees to prepare for a possible stoppage of national airline Malev, just hours after the carrier said it still hoped that a potential buyer could save it.

The decrees, published on the official legal gazette's website, set down rules of compensation for passengers from state coffers in case Malev stops its flights, and March 31 as the deadline for the submission of compensation claims.

Government spokesman Andras Giro-Szasz said the existence of a Budapest-based air carrier remained Hungary's interest.

He told the television channel ATV that Malev's management would prepare a liquidity management plan by the weekend.

Alaskan volcano could erupt, disrupt international air travel

2012-02-01T11:15:33+01:00

Alaskan volcano could erupt, disrupt international air travel

Officials are monitoring a remote Alaska volcano that could launch an ash cloud, potentially threatening intercontinental flights.

"Eruptive activity" of Cleveland Volcano was detected in satellite data, according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory.

The volcano, also known as Mount Cleveland, is on the Aleutian Islands, southwest of mainland Alaska.

Iberia pilots announce five more strike days

2012-01-31T19:08:20+01:00

Iberia pilots announce five more strike days

Pilots of Spain's biggest airline Iberia on Tuesday announced five more 24-hour work stoppages in protest at the company's launching of a sister low-cost airline.

The pilots said they were joining strikes by ground staff and cabin crew on February 13, 17, 20, 24 and 29.

The pilots have already staged seven work stoppages since December. Each of them led to the cancellation of about a third of the scheduled Iberia flights.

The strikes are protesting Iberia's decision to launch a low-cost subsidiary, Iberia Express, which the pilots expect to kill 5,000 jobs.

ITALY – February 2012 Strikes

2012-02-02T00:15:16+01:00

ITALY – February 2012 Strikes

Transport is one of Italy's most strike-prone sectors, at the same time as being covered by legislation (law 146, 1990) regulating strikes in essential public services. A strike must be announced and because of the "announcement effect", a strike call can cause considerable disruption, even though the strike itself is cancelled.

07.02.12 24hr Ares. Handling and Cleaning Aircraft. Falconara Marittima

07.02.12 Aviapartner Handling Venice

10.02.12 13:30 - 17:30 Alitalia Fiumicino

13.02.12 10:00 - 14:00 Air France - KLM Provincia di VARESE

17.02.12 12:00 - 16:00 Ground crew Airport Bari-Palese

Air Nippon Pilot Union Threatens Strike on February 1st

2012-01-30T10:55:45+01:00

Air Nippon Pilot Union Threatens Strike on February 1st

ANA Group regrets the threatened 24-strike on February 1st announced by its pilot unions and is continuing urgent negotiations with the unions concerned to avert industrial action and the disruption to passenger services it will cause.

Should the unnecessary strike go ahead, ANA will do everything possible to minimize the impact on passengers and services. No international flights will be affected. However domestic flights could regrettably be subject to cancellation and/or delay.

Spanair shutdown strands 23,000 travelers

2012-01-31T09:37:29+01:00

Spanair shutdown strands 23,000 travelers

Spanair ceased operations early Saturday, stranding thousands of passengers, after a rescue deal fell through and a Spanish regional government halted funding.

Spanish flag airline Iberia and No. 2 and 3 Spanish carriers Vueling Airlines and Air Europa, along with Irish low-cost airline Ryanair and British discount carrier EasyJet, announced special-fare contingency plans to accommodate stuck Spanair passengers.

See the press release

India - Kingfisher Airlines pilots threaten strike if salaries not paid

2012-01-27T11:35:22+01:00

India - Kingfisher Airlines pilots threaten strike if salaries not paid

More than 200 pilots of the cash-strapped Kingfisher Airlines have threatened to strike work if their salaries for December are not paid by the end of this month, a deadline that the private carrier's promoter Vijay Mallya committed to earlier.

"We may not be available for flying duties in case our dues are not cleared in time," the pilots said in one of the many emails shot off to the CEO Sanjay Agarwal and EVP (operations and engineering) Hitesh Patel over the past few days.

44 Air India flights cancelled as pilots decline to operate

2012-01-26T16:08:55+01:00

44 Air India flights cancelled as pilots decline to operate

NEW DELHI: At least 44 Air India flights, including some from and to international destinations, were cancelled today as about 50 pilots reported for duty but did not operate flights protesting delay in payment of wages.

The government said a solution to the problem could be found only next week and most of the wages might be paid by next the end of next week.

36 flights were cancelled from Delhi till 5 PM and 8 from Mumbai.

Air Canada, pilot talks break off, signaling labour strife ahead

2012-01-24T20:39:14+01:00

Air Canada, pilot talks break off, signaling labour strife ahead

Contract talks between Air Canada and its 3,000 pilots have broken off, signalling more labour trouble ahead for the country’s biggest carrier.

The two sides have been holding talks with the help of a federal conciliator since late November, but the pilots on Tuesday accused Air Canada of walking away from the table, starting the countdown to a possible strike or lockout.

Under federal law, the pilots and Air Canada now enter a 21-day “cooling off” period, before either party can take any further action that could include a lockout or strike.

US Airways Express Flight Attendants Move to Strike

2012-01-24T19:24:53+01:00

US Airways Express Flight Attendants Move to Strike

US Airways Express Flight Attendants Move to Strike if Management Fails to Negotiate Contract.

Following a week of fruitless negotiations with PSA Airlines management, Flight Attendants at the airline, represented by th Association of Flight Attendantse (AFA), initiated a process that could lead to a strike if management fails to negotiate a new agreement.

Today, AFA requested th National Mediation Board (NMB) declare that negotiations are at an impasse and offer a proffer of arbitration which could lead to a 30-day cooling-off period and strike deadline. It's long past time for management to take these negotiations seriously. PSA Flight Attendants have sent a loud and clear message to management that action will be taken if a new, improved agreement is not reached.

We are done playing games and are ready to do whatever it takes to get a contract that recognizes our meaningful role as first responders," said L.C. Acor, PSA AFA Vice President.

Portuguese Air traffic controllers on strike in February

2012-02-07T09:10:25+01:00

Portuguese Air traffic controllers on strike in February

Google Translation:

Unions representing employees of NAV will deliver a notice of strike to a halt of two hours per shift between 8 and 12 February, (between 08-10, 14-16 and 22-00 utc), announced today the Workers Committee (TC) of the company.

CT of the company responsible for air traffic control use, in a statement that the notice will be delivered on Tuesday.

To justify the decision, the TC said that "we can not admit that the government, inexplicably, keep the company without guidance and without strategic management, adding that, in economic terms, the options already taken will result in the loss of millions of euros in revenues and exports. "

UPDATE: February 7. Strike has been cancelled.

Dublin Airport fire and police have voted in favour of industrial action.

2012-01-22T13:30:09+01:00

Dublin Airport fire and police have voted in favour of industrial action.

Dublin Airport could be facing serious disruption over the next fortnight in a row over possible staff shortages.

The Sunday Business Post has reported that staff at the Dublin Airport Authority's fire and police service have voted by 78% in favour of industrial action.

It is expected that they would give the airport two week's notice of strike action.

If the fire service is withdrawn, the airport would be forced to shut down.

FARC attack on Colombia radar delays flights

2012-01-22T10:36:50+01:00

FARC attack on Colombia radar delays flights

An attack by Colombian FARC rebels on a radar installation in Cauca province delayed flights in the south of the Andean nation as well as some bound for neighboring Ecuador and Panama, the civil aviation authority said on Saturday.