This is the Aviation Strike ARCHIVE !!!

4-5-2012
Eindhoven Airport closed due to incident with private plane.

http://www.eindhovenairport.com/

20-4-2012
Dundee Airport staff to strike over pay

Airport workers are to hold a one-day strike later this month in a dispute over pay.

Prospect union members at Dundee airport want their pay to be harmonised with workers at other Highlands and Islands Airports (HIAL), claiming they are not paid as much.

Members, who include firefighters, air traffic control and aircraft fuelling staff, have voted unanimously to take industrial action following a ballot.

They will hold a 24-hour strike on April 30, which they claim will shut the airport. This will immediately be followed by a work-to-rule, including an overtime ban.

UPDATE APRIL 27: Dundee Airport strike postponed for more pay talks

The one-day strike at Dundee Airport planned for Monday has been postponed for further talks.

13-4-2012
Dozens of Air Canada flights cancelled due to 'illegal job action'

MONTREAL - Thousands of unlucky Air Canada passengers marked Friday the 13th by watching their flights cancelled or delayed as pilots called in sick as part of what the airline dubbed an "illegal job action."

The airline issued a Canada-wide travel alert, warning that "airport disruptions" could affect flights all day and into the weekend.

12-4-2012
Finnair technical staff to stage strike until Friday morning

Workers protest against airline’s plans to outsource its engine and component services. The move would cause 280 jobs to be cut. Some scheduled flights may be cancelled as a result of the industrial action.

6-4-2012
Kenya airports' workers strike over pay

About 1,300 Kenya Airports Authority staff went on a countrywide strike, demanding a salary increase and better working conditions.

Kenya Airways was forced to delay some of its domestic flights, awaiting confirmation the strike would not disrupt landing in other airports.

The airline’s corporate communications manager Chris Karanja said flights to Kisumu and Malindi were delayed as the airline confirmed the situation on the ground in both airports. Eventually the flights took off.

6-4-2012
Bahamas Customs And Immigration Workers Strike

SEVERAL hundred Customs and Immigration Workers are on strike today after efforts to negotiate a new industrial contract with the government stalled once again.

#This latest industrial action involves Customs and Immigration workers throughout the entire Bahamas including, New Providence, Grand Bahama, Exuma, Abaco and Bimini.

#The strike has caused major delays at the Lynden Pindling International Airport.

5-4-2012
Portuguese Air traffic controllers on strike in April

Portuguease Air Traffic controllers and maintenance staff will be on strik on April 12, 13, 19, 20 and 26, every day from 0600-0800 utc

See also: http://www.ana.pt/portal/page/portal/ANA/

4-4-2012
UK Border staff chaos spells Easter misery for holidaymakers, airlines warn

Airlines have warned of chaos at the UK’s main airports over Easter because of inadequate staffing at border controls.

The alarm was raised in a letter to Home Secretary Theresa May on behalf of the 11 major UK airlines, including British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, bmi British Midland and easyJet.

Airline bosses yesterday briefed Home Office and UK Border Agency (UKBA) chiefs on the looming crisis which is also expected to affect the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

ITALY – April 2012 Strikes

Transport is one of Italy's most strike-prone sectors, at the same time as being covered by legislation (law 146, 1990) regulating strikes in essential public services. A strike must be announced and because of the "announcement effect", a strike call can cause considerable disruption, even though the strike itself is cancelled.

23.04.12 12:00 - 16:00 Alitalia Cityliner

28-3-2012
France - Air Traffic Strike Warning.

There is a chance that French Air Traffic will go on strike from Sunday 1st of April 1800 UTC until Wednesday 4th of April 0400 UTC.

UPDATE MARCH 30: The strike will start Sunday at 17:00 UTC until Wednesday 4th of April 0500 UTC.

SEE ALSO: http://dsnado.canalblog.com/

28-3-2012
Dundee Airport staff to vote on strike action over pay dispute

The trade union Prospect says it will issue ballot papers to its members on Monday, which could lead to much of the airport's workforce walking out en masse over a longstanding pay dispute with Highland and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL).

There are over 30 members of staff at the airport who are with the union.

''A ballot will go out to workers on Monday and there will be a two-week period when it can be returned. We will then decided what we are going to do after the vote is counted on April 16.''

Iberia pilots to strike from April-July

Pilots at Spanish airline Iberia called 30 days of strikes on Tuesday in a dispute over the start-up of a low-cost carrier they see as a threat to jobs and conditions.

Pilots say the launch of Iberia Express contravenes deals struck when Iberia and British Airways merged to form International Airlines Group.

IAG and Iberia believe starting the new airline is the only way to make the loss-making Spanish unit profitable.

In a statement, the Spanish airline slammed the union as "irresponsible", called the strike "unjustified, damaging and disproportionate" and invited the pilot's union to sit down and talk this week in an effort to avoid industrial action.

Iberia pilots will strike every Monday and Friday from April 9 to July 20, their union SEPLA said.

27-3-2012
Several flights from Baku to Russian cities cancelled

Another flight to Russia from Baku - the Baku-Grozny flight has been cancelled today, Heydar Aliyev International Airport told on Tuesday. Earlier flights on routes to Perm, Omsk and Moscow were also cancelled.

These included flights of various airlines Rusline (Perm and Grozny), Ural Airlines (Moscow) and IrAero (Omsk).

Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku did not give any reason for the cancellations only to say they are by Russian airlines.

26-3-2012
Lufthansa ground handlers to strike Tuesday

Ground handlers in Frankfurt, the country's biggest hub, would strike from 0300 to 1230 GMT in a walkout organised by Germany's services union Verdi, the airline said in a statement on Monday.

Munich airport would be affected by the strike from 0400 to 1200 GMT, Duesseldorf from 0600 to 1200, Cologne from 0200 to 1000 GMT and Stuttgart from 0400 to 0900 GMT.

update March 27: Lufthansa To Cancel 400 Flights Today Due To Strike

24-3-2012
General strike to hit Spanish air traffic Thursday

Train, bus and air traffic will be severely limited in Spain on Thursday during a general strike called by unions to protest at high unemployment and changes to labour laws that will make it cheaper for companies to lay off employees.

The unions, which represent one in five Spanish workers, and the government agreed to retain minimum transport services for Thursday, including only 20 percent of flights between Spanish and other European airports.

26-3-2012
Air France ground staff set to strike on Friday

Industrial action will co-inicide with an extraordinary meeting of Air France’s works council to discuss the re-negotiation of all collective labour agreements at the airline within the framework of an important cost-cutting and productivity programme over the next three years - Transform 2015.

The unions denounce an "absence of visibility in Air France’s global development plans" which is "creating considerable concern with regard to the future of the company and jobs."

However, given that pilot and cabin crew unions are not supporting the strike, it is unlikely to cause much dusruption to Air France’s schedules.

"We are expecting the strike to have only a very limited impact on our traffic," an Air France spokesman told

23-3-2012
Air Canada ramp crews stage ‘illegal’ strike at Toronto’s Pearson airport

Air Canada ramp crews walked off the job and staged a demonstration at Terminal 1 at Pearson airport Thursday night.

“I can confirm that there has been illegal job action by a small number of ground handling employees at Pearson,” Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick said in an email.

“However, the majority of employees continue to do their jobs and take care of our customers. It is too soon to say what if any effect this activity will have on our schedule, however it has not resulted in any cancellations at this point.”

22-3-2012
Bangkok airport chaos for travellers

Passenger congestion at Thailand's 'golden' airport has left travellers waiting for up to two hours to be stamped through immigration. Those flying out of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport are now being advised to arrive three hours before their flight departure – an hour longer than most other international airports.

The airport is reportedly operating on overdrive, carrying six million more people a year that its original proposed capacity of 45 million. Ongoing renovations, staff shortages and the reluctance of immigration officers to work at the overcrowded airport have also been suggested as causes for congestion. It has left arrival and departure halls hugely overcrowded.

22-03-2012 Air India unions threaten strike on April 2 if dues remain

Seven Air India Unions, representing pilots, engineers, officers, ground staffers, check-in staff, etc, have threatened to strike work on April 2 if their salaries and pending allowances are not cleared by March 31. This is the first time since the airline's financial troubles began that seven unions have come together to protest the delay in salary payments.

UPDATE MARCH 30: AI employees call off strike threat.

The strike threat by a major chunk of Air India's over 28,000 employees from Monday was called off on Friday with the ailing national carrier promising to clear all their salary and other dues by June.

21-03-2012
Portugal hit by general strike against austerity

Portugal's major cities ground to a halt Thursday as unions began a 24-hour strike against austerity measures agreed by the government in return for an international bailout.

The metros in Lisbon and Oporto, Portugal's second-largest city, were closed because of the strike, forcing tens of thousands of commuters to find an alternative way to get to work or school.

Portugal's airport operator ANA urged passengers to check on the status of their flights before heading to the airport, but air traffic controllers were not taking part in the strike.

ANA website

21-03-2012
Air India crew members go on indefinite strike

Upset over non-payment of flying allowances for the last six months, a section of Air India cabin crew members has called for an indefinite strike from Wednesday.

Turning down flying duty, 100 crew members have not registered their attendance in office today, reports said.

Meanwhile, Air India pilots have also threatened to go on strike from April 1 over non-payment of salaries and other allowances for the past four months.

UPDATE MARCH 22: Air India rubbishes flight cancellation rumours due to cabin crew strike

Air India today said there were no disruptions or cancellations of its international flights on Wednesday.

“A section of the press reported today that on March 21, international flights of Air India were affected by delays and cancellations due to agitation and strike by cabin crew,” an official statement by the carrier said.

“Air India would like to clarify that there were no disruptions or cancellation of flights operating on international sectors. All flights from Mumbai and Delhi were operated as per schedule,” it said.

20-03-2012
Stansted baggage handlers threaten Easter holiday chaos

Baggage handlers are threatening to disrupt thousands of family holidays by going out on strike over the Easter weekend after management announced changes to their shift patterns.

The GMB union is balloting 150 members who are employed by Swissport as baggage handlers at Stansted Airport to see if they are prepared to walk out over the changes.

The result of the ballot will be announced on March 29 and if members vote for industrial action the union says this could result in disruption over the Easter weekend.

UPDATE MARCH 29- Stansted baggage handlers to strike over Easter

Baggage handlers at Stansted Airport are to strike during the Easter weekend in a row over pay, the GMB union said today.

The GMB said strikes will be held on Good Friday, Easter Saturday and Easter Monday, threatening disruption to passengers flying on holiday for the holiday break.

UPDATE APRIL 4: Stansted Easter strike called off

Planned strikes by ground staff at Stansted Airport over Easter have been called off after peace talks.

15-03-2012
LOT maintenance staff set to strike

Staff working for LOT AMS, one of maintenance operators contracted by Poland’s flagship airline, have announced that they are to strike starting Sunday evening.

However, LOT spokesman Leszek Chorzewski told the PAP news agency that travellers should not be affected by the industrail action, as the airline contracts more than one maintenance operator at its hub in Warsaw’s Chopin Airport.

“We have prepared ourselves for such a situation, and as such we serviced some of the aircraft already,” Chorzewski said, adding that “if needed, other contractors will support us.”

15-03-2012
Air New Zealand Flights cancelled after hairline cracks found

About 3000 customers have been affected by Air New Zealand's grounding of its ATR fleet, after hairline cracks were found in one plane during routine maintenance.

The airline has been carrying out inspections on Sunday on its 11 ATR aircraft, which are operated by its subsidiary Mount Cook.

The cracks were found around the cockpit windows of one plane during routine maintenance overnight in Christchurch.

Air New Zealand cancelled all ATR flights on Sunday, but the airline says alternative travel arrangements are being put in place.

15-03-2012
Strike halts Kuwait Airways flights

State carrier Kuwait Airways cancelled nine flights late on Saturday after a walkout by employees calling for higher pay, the company's managing director said.

The airline workers join around 3,000 striking customs employees at the Gulf state's ports and borders. The carrier's 4,000 unionised workers last went on strike in October, also over wage demands.

14-03-2012
Direct Air suspends flights, strands many

Discount airline Direct Air has suspended flights for at least two months, leaving passengers stranded around the country with little hope for quick refunds.

The airline abruptly shut down Monday afternoon – at the peak of the spring break travel season – after its apparent failure to pay a fuel bill. Direct Air, based in Myrtle Beach, S.C., says it will not fly again until May 15. Ticket holders were told to contact their credit card companies for refunds.

14-03-2012
Ghana - Passengers stranded at Kotoka Airport over strike action

Security personnel working at the Kotoka International Airport have declared a sit down strike leaving passengers stranded.

Board Chairman of the Ghana Airport Company George Kuntu Blankson in an interview with Accra based Joy Fm said “it was this morning that my MD called me and said there is a problem at the Airport between the Airport security and National Security operatives.

07-03-2012
Air India pilots threaten to go on strike again

Protesting delayed payment of salaries and allowances, a section of Air India pilots today warned they would not undertake flying duties from April one if their dues were not cleared by then.

The Indian Pilots Guild (IPG), which represents the pilots of pre-merger Air India, has shot off letters to Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh, Labour Minister Mallikarjun Kharge and others saying that a large number of its members had written to it that "financial distress" could "adversely affect" their ability to safely discharge their duties and endanger lives.

06-03-2012
Estonian Airline Pilots Refrain From Strike This Time, Criticize Government Attitude

The Estonian Airline Pilots Association has summoned a strike committee to be prepared for possible action if collective bargaining with Estonian Air does not go the way they want.

Although the union decided not to participate in the wave of strikes gripping the country this week to avoid losses to the national carrier, chairman Rauno Menning said in a press release that the Association supports the demands of the Central Confederation of Trade Unions.

06-03-2012
Armenia’s international airport responds to airline company’s strike

The “Armenia” International Airports Company released a statement in response to the strike which the Armavia Airline Company announced on Tuesday morning.

“The Armavia Airline Company today halted its service to the Yerevan-Moscow and Yerevan-Rostov flights, and announced to the passengers that the service is halted because of the [Armenian capital Yerevan’s Zvartnots International] Airport’s high prices. Being the national carrier, Armavia Company benefits from our company’s special prices. Furthermore, [and] because of the accumulated debts, Armavia Company is prohibited to carry out flights toward Russia and enter Russian air space.