Walkouts called for this weekend and next week Greek air traffic controllers plan to strike over four days over this weekend and from Tuesday night again, in protest at changes to working conditions under the country’s continuing economic reforms. All flights except emergency and search-and-rescue operations will be grounded, together with flights through the Athens Flight Information region. The full 24-hour strikes will take place on October 9 and 10, then on October 12-13. In the past, Greek courts have called walkouts by air traffic controllers illegal, as they are deemed an essential service, and previous strikes have been cancelled. The most recent announcement coincides with new draft legislation seeking changes to the structure of the civil aviation department.Hundreds of flights have already been cancelled. It will stop on Monday night and start again at Tuesday night.
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Latest strikes called off in Greece
Greek air traffic controllers have called off their latest round of strikes, which had been set to start at the weekend and run into this week.
Trade unions called off the strike at the 11th hour after saying a meeting with the Greek transport minister was ‘constructive’.
Their union had said last week week that it would stage 24-hour strikes on October 9 and 10, then October 12 and 13, in protest at changes to job descriptions under reforms pursued by the country’s foreign creditors.
The strikes would have coincided with the submission of draft legislation to parliament changing the structure of the civil aviation department and would have grounded flights for four days.
However, the last-minute decision to halt the strike came too late for some passengers.
EasyJet was unable to reinstate all flights that had been cancelled for Saturday and Sunday, with only 24 out of 44 flights reinstated, according to ITV news.
