TEN flights were affected when air traffic controllers at Larnaca Airport held a work-to-rule, starting at 11pm Friday and ending 4am yesterday.
The controllers said the industrial action was part of their ongoing protest against parliament’s decision to include them in the package of austerity measures to help the ailing economy.
The work-to-rule follows a 12-hour strike in mid December, straight after the decision was announced to include them in the package, which provides, among others, for temporary pay freezes for all public sector workers.
Hermes Airports’ spokesman Adamos Aspris yesterday called on everyone to consider how their actions were affecting the state’s economy and the lives of hundreds of passengers.
He also raised concern after announcing he had information that there could be worse to come.
“During the night, Air Traffic Controllers at the Larnaca Airport Control Tower moved ahead with work stoppages, from 11pm (Friday) night until 4am (yesterday) morning,” Aspris said.
These stoppages, he added, affected 10 flights – six arrivals and four departures. “Two Cyprus Airways flights, one from Manchester and one from Heraklion-Rhodes, were yesterday forced to divert to Paphos, while another eight flights were delayed by up to two hours.”
Aspris added, “We want to express our sadness over the way the Air Traffic Controllers have once again chosen to send their messages. And because some worrying information has reached us regarding what happens next, I would like to remind everyone that airports are among the essential services and we should all be concerned about the practices followed, as they could lead to substantial financial damages, our country’s image being harmed and hundreds of passengers being inconvenienced, without being to blame for anything.”
The airports’ spokesman wouldn’t reveal much about the information he was referring to. “I would like to believe that those who need to receive our messages, have already received them,” said Aspris. “The smooth operation of Cyprus’ airports is a fundamental obligation for all those who are involved in any way in their operation.”
He concluded, “It is for this reason that we are expressing hope for all implicated parties to realise the extent of the damage and act in a way that will avoid resulting in such undesirable and damaging situations in the future”.
Meanwhile, Communications Minister Efthymios Flourentzos yesterday announced he would meet the controllers tomorrow to discuss their demand for exemption from the package.
The minister said yesterday’s action created some serious problems for the airport.
The controllers had been exempted from the law passed in August for a temporary contribution to the state by civil servants.
However, the overwhelming majority – 87 out of 97 air traffic controllers – have been contributing their share voluntarily.
The reason for the initial exemption was that their income, as they say, is fully covered by airlines using Cypriot airspace and had they been included it would have meant less revenues for the state.
Air-traffic staff also complained about being included in the two-year pay freeze.
