AROUND 10,000 passengers and 80 flights to and from Paphos and Larnaca Airports will be affected by the air traffic controllers’ (ATC) strikes this month as a final plea to call off today’s action fell on deaf ears.
According to the airports’ spokesman, Adamos Aspris, today’s four-hour strike starting at noon, as well as another two at the same times on Monday and next Thursday, are expected to create huge problems for the airports, as well as the travelling public.
“Based on preliminary data by Hermes Airports’ Operations Centre, the new strikes are expected to affect 36 flights (today) at Cyprus’ two international airports, 18 arrivals and 18 departures,” said Aspris. Of these, 22 involve Larnaca and 14 Paphos.
“The strike on Monday, March 12, is expected to affect 24 flights in total for both airports, 11 departures and 13 arrivals – 15 involve Larnaca International Airport and the remaining nine involve Paphos International Airport,” said Aspris.
And next Thursday’s work stoppage will affect 20 flights, 14 in Larnaca and six in Paphos.
“In total, for the three days that the strikes will be held at Cyprus’ international airports, 80 flights are expected to be affected and around 10,000 passengers – 51 involving Larnaca Airport and 29 Paphos Airport,” said Aspris.
He added that the two airports, in cooperation with the airlines, were making vast efforts to reschedule flights “and reduce hassle for the travelling public”.
“As always, we are calling on the travelling public to contact the airlines in time and confirm the new flight details,” said Aspris.
The ATCs are striking over austerity measures introduced last December including a two-year freeze on pay and pension contributions, which they want to be excluded from.
They have already held a number of strikes.
The chairman of the House Communications Committee, DIKO’s Antonis Antoniou, yesterday sent a final plea to the ATCs to call off today’s strike.
He added that consultations were underway to resolve the problem, with parliament’s mediation.
“Many suggestions have been tabled to resolve the dispute,” said Antoniou. “We are trying to find the best possible solution, and consultations are taking place for this, and I am sure that within the next few days we will find the solution to this matter.”
