Strike threat by UK airline could cause holiday misery

A BRITISH airline preparing to ferry thousands of tourists to Cyprus this summer could be forced to cancel holiday flights.

Low-cost carrier Monarch Airlines, which flies to both Paphos and Larnaca, faces industrial action at the height of the tourist season in July.

The threat comes after the powerful aviation union Unite prepares to ballot more than 600 cabin crew over pay.

Unite is urging Monarch to pay its members a lump sum, which can be deferred until next year, rather than give them a pay rise.

Brian Boyd from Unite said any strike will cause severe disruption for holidaymakers and travellers.

“Monarch faces the prospect of a crippling strike at the height of the holiday season. The requests of our members are reasonable and are in line with similar negotiations with the other industry operators.”

Should the strike go ahead, it will come as grim news to tourism chiefs as the current season is proving to be one of the most difficult for Cyprus, following the global economic slowdown.

Only yesterday, President Christofias said that tourist arrivals this year decreased by 9.8 per cent, compared to last year’s figures.

A spokesman for Monarch Airlines said its senior management is in talks with staff and unions.

“Given the current economic situation and its impact on the aviation industry, pay increases and additional benefits for employees are unachievable at the present time.” He said.

Monarch has become a popular choice for both expats and tourists since starting scheduled services from Luton to Larnaca in 2007.

The company picked up many new customers in Cyprus last year after the collapse of XL Airways.

In addition to Cyprus, Monarch operates scheduled flights to Spain, Gibraltar and Portugal from Birmingham, London Gatwick, London Luton and Manchester airports.

Last year the carrier flew over six million people to more than 100 destinations worldwide.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.