Subject: Alert: ATC Strike Threat - Europe
From: David Rolph <[email-masked]>
To: All Staff International <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 2013 14:48:43 +0000

Colleagues,

While this possible European Air Traffic Controllers strike is still a month away and certainly subject to possible modification and/or cancellation, if it occurs the effects could be significant for those planning travel to Europe or transit through Europe.  It also has the potential to cause additional delays in the few days following the strike as airlines work to accommodate those directly affected by cancellations.  I am passing this along in the event your upcoming travel plans allow for flexibility.  I will keep you up to date as we learn more.

Regards,

David

David Rolph

Director of Global Security

Abt Associates

301-347-5684 (Office)

703-244-3672 (Cell)

Worldcue® Alert
Severity: Warning Alert

Transportation: Air traffic controller unions call for Europe-wide strike Oct. 10; extent of impact not yet known. Expect significant flight disruptions if strike not averted.

The locations affected by this alert are:

Paris

Frankfurt

Amsterdam

Rome

Brussels

Madrid

Athens

Vienna

Copenhagen

Budapest

Lisbon

This alert began 09 Sep 2013 23:40 GMT and is scheduled to expire 11 Oct 2013 23:59 GMT.

Event: Europe-wide air traffic controller strike threat

Date: Oct. 10

Impact: Possibly significant flight disruptions

Summary
The Air Traffic Controllers European Unions Coordination (ATCEUC), an umbrella organization of European air traffic controller unions, has called on its members to join a "day of action" on Oct. 10. National unions in 28 countries, a total of around 14,000 workers, may participate in the strike.

This is the first time in more than 10 years that the ATCEUC has called for a coordinated strike action. The extent of participation is still unclear, however, and may only include a fraction of unions and their members. The precise nature and extent of the protest action taken will likely vary by country.

Background
ATCEUC called the strike to protest the European Commission's plans for a "Single European Sky," which will curtail national oversight by creating a single European airspace. The project aims to open parts of the sector up to competition and cost cuts; unions warn the plan will jeopardize jobs and safety.

A previous similar strike in France occurred in June, and led to the cancellation of 50 percent of flights to Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG), Paris Orly (ORY), Lyon-Saint Exupery (LYS), Nice Cote d'Azur (NCE), Marseille Provence (MRS), Toulouse-Blagnac (TLS), and Bordeaux-Merignac (BOD).

Advice
Prepare for severe flight disruptions in Europe Oct. 10; delays may extend into Oct. 11 as a potential backlog in canceled flights is cleared. Disruptions to the air traffic control system could also affect flights transiting the affected countries' airspace. Plan accordingly for cargo flight disruptions and associated delivery delays.

iJET will update this alert as further information becomes available.

Related Advice: Dealing with travel difficulties associated with airline strikes and labor disputes.