News / EU

Upcoming strikes cancel hundreds of flights in Greece

Saturday, 08 October 2016 3:49 PM [ Last Update: Saturday, 08 October 2016 4:01 PM ]

This file photo shows passenger planes from Greece's Olympic Airlines parked on the tarmac of the Athens' international airport. (Photo by AFP)

Greek airlines have canceled hundreds of flights to and from the country ahead of a series of one-day strikes by the country's air traffic controller (ATC) workers.

Aegean Airlines, the country's largest passenger carrier, and its subsidiary airline company Olympic Air, announced the cancellation of all flights to and from Greece.

The Greek air traffic controllers’ union announced on Wednesday that they would hold four consecutive 24-hour strikes, starting on Sunday.

The ATC workers called for the walkout in protest against new legislation approved by parliament that foresees the restructuring of the country’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

The labor action was called for after representatives from the workers and government failed to resolve the CAA dispute in negotiations.

The workers union accused the government of going ahead with the reforms that would deprive them of their administrative role without prior consultation with them.

Greek Transport Minister Christos Spirtzis said the industrial action was “politically-motivated” and “without precise demands.”

Spirtzis, however, said he was open for further negotiations with the strikers.

Meanwhile, Irish budget airline Ryanair has called on the European Commission to take countermeasures "to prevent these repeated ATC strikes.”

This file photo shows an Irish Ryanair jetliner. (Photo by AFP)

The strikes staged by air traffic controllers are “continuously disrupting the travel plans of millions of Europe's citizens and their families,” the airline said in a statement on Friday.

Ryanair has canceled 110 of its Greece flights scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.

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