ATC News

[Aviafora Newsdesk]

Lufthansa seeks injunction against air traffic control strike

Frankfurt Fri 24, 2014 8:04am GMT

(Reuters) - Deutsche Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) is seeking a temporary injunction against a one-hour strike called by German air traffic controllers for January 29, a spokesman for Germany's largest airline said on Friday.



"From Lufthansa's point of view, the announced industrial action by the GdF union is a 'political strike' and illegal," the spokesman said, adding that the strike had no goal related to wage or working conditions.

The Air Traffic Controllers European Unions Coordination(ATCEUC), which represents 14,000 flight overseers across 28 European countries, has called on its members to take action on Jan 29 to protest planned safety and savings targets by the European Commission.

Separately, the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF) has called its own action day for Jan 30 and France's air traffic controllers are planning to strike between Jan 27 and Jan 31.

German air traffic controllers' union GdF is calling on its members to strike "in solidarity with French air traffic controllers" between 8 a.m. (0700 GMT) and 9 a.m., a union spokesman said on Thursday.

Lufthansa is seeking the injunction at a labour court in Munich, Lufthansa's second biggest hub, the spokesman said.
The DFS German air traffic control authority is also seeking an injunction, with the argument scheduled to be heard in Frankfurt on Monday.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/0...A0N0D520140124

[Aviafora Newsdesk]

Paris flights cut by 20% as air traffic controllers strike

Jan 30 (Reuters) - Travellers faced a day of disruption on Thursday as air traffic controllers in France and across Europe went on strike over cost cuts and pan-European safety rules.

France's DGAC authority asked airlines operating services to and from the three Paris-region airports - Charles de Gaulle, Orly and Beauvais - to reduce flights by about 20 percent because of the strike, which runs until 0500 GMT on Friday.

The French strike is part of a day of action called by the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF) to protest against safety and savings targets planned by the European Commission.

Slovakian and Italian air traffic controllers are also striking for short periods during the day, while their colleagues in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria, Portugal, Bulgaria andGreece will take measures such as performing only basic contracted duties.

To minimise disruption from such strikes, airlines usually shift the times of some flights and use different routes.

Air France said it would work to accommodate all long-haul flights but warned of disruption to short-haul services. Lufthansa and easyJet cancelled a small number of flights.

The French traffic controllers striking on Thursday are represented by the USAC-CGT, SPAC-CFDT and SNNA-FO unions.

Controllers represented by the SNCTA had called off a strike planned for this week after receiving assurances that the government would oppose the EC's plans.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/...0L33N020140130