Air traffic go-slow fizzles out as flights resume

By Peter Stevenson

AIR traffic controllers in Cyprus adopted a work-to-rule between 3pm and 7pm yesterday as part of an all-European campaign, while air traffic controllers in Greece are due to go on strike today.

But flights seemed to be most unaffected with minor changes to departure and arrival schedules, while controllers in some European countries ignored the strike call altogether.

The Cyprus Air Traffic Controllers’ Union (PASEEK) said that they were taking part in the Pan European day of action which was organised by the Air Traffic Controllers European Unions’ Coordination (ATCEUC) after talks broke down with the European Commission regarding flight safety.

“Members of PASEEK did not work overtime and were controlling traffic at a minimum in accordance with regulations which would mean flight landings every five minutes at Larnaca airport and every seven minutes at Paphos airport between 3pm and 7pm,” PASEEK said.

Between 11am and 2pm on today, air traffic controllers in Greece will be holding a strike as part of the day of action, Hermes Airports spokesman Adamos Aspris said.

With regards to yesterday’s action, Aspris said that it did not severely affect any flights but that there were small delays of 20 minutes for flights arriving during the strike.

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.