DDR
3rd December 2010, 23:05
Military took power of the Air Space by goverment order in response of a sudden strike of the controlers of air space:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11913878
Madrid's Barajas airport, the busiest in Spain, was one of the first to be affected
Spain's military has taken over the country's air traffic control after civilian traffic controllers called in sick en masse.
The move - authorised by the government - comes after several airports across Spain were shut after traffic controllers' unauthorised walkout.
Most of Spain's airspace remains closed after the strike began.
The controllers are involved in a dispute with Spanish airport authority Aena over hours and conditions.
Earlier on Friday, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's office warned that the military would take over planning, supervision and control of the country's airspace unless the controllers called off the unsanctioned strike.
Spanish Transport Minister Jose Blanco also condemned the strike, saying: "We will not allow this blackmail, which is using citizens as hostages."
The controllers' action began at 1700 local time (1600 GMT), resulting in the shutdown of about 90% of Spain's airspace, with the exception of the southern region of Andalucia.
Madrid's Barajas airport was one of the first to be affected, along with airports on Majorca, Ibiza and Menorca in the Balearic Islands.
Barajas is the busiest airport in Spain - a hub for international and national flights, and the base for the national carrier Iberia.
The BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Madrid says the action has disrupted air traffic across the country at the start of a holiday weekend. Many passengers were left stranded on runways.
'Crime' Aena has called the action irresponsible and threatened to take punitive action against the controllers.
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50293000/jpg/_50293091_010778174-2.jpg The strike action could affect the travel plans of up to 250,000 people
"The decision to paralyse air traffic in the country is extremely serious and, as well as being extremely serious misconduct that could be punished with disciplinary dismissals... it constitutes a crime," Aena said.
It is not clear how long the protest is intended to last, but according to Iberia, Barajas airport could remain closed until 2400 GMT.
Iberia has cancelled all flights from Spanish airports until 1000 GMT on Saturday.
Aena estimates that the strike action could affect the travel plans of up to 250,000 people.
"All flights are blocked, there's a huge lot of people here, sitting around everywhere. Right now everyone is calm, but we don't know what's happening," said one traveller at Barajas airport.
"The captain came out to say Spanish airspace had suddenly shut, with no prior warning," another passenger stuck in a plane at Palma told Spanish radio.
They could be charged with sedition if they don't come back to work.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11913878
Madrid's Barajas airport, the busiest in Spain, was one of the first to be affected
Spain's military has taken over the country's air traffic control after civilian traffic controllers called in sick en masse.
The move - authorised by the government - comes after several airports across Spain were shut after traffic controllers' unauthorised walkout.
Most of Spain's airspace remains closed after the strike began.
The controllers are involved in a dispute with Spanish airport authority Aena over hours and conditions.
Earlier on Friday, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero's office warned that the military would take over planning, supervision and control of the country's airspace unless the controllers called off the unsanctioned strike.
Spanish Transport Minister Jose Blanco also condemned the strike, saying: "We will not allow this blackmail, which is using citizens as hostages."
The controllers' action began at 1700 local time (1600 GMT), resulting in the shutdown of about 90% of Spain's airspace, with the exception of the southern region of Andalucia.
Madrid's Barajas airport was one of the first to be affected, along with airports on Majorca, Ibiza and Menorca in the Balearic Islands.
Barajas is the busiest airport in Spain - a hub for international and national flights, and the base for the national carrier Iberia.
The BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Madrid says the action has disrupted air traffic across the country at the start of a holiday weekend. Many passengers were left stranded on runways.
'Crime' Aena has called the action irresponsible and threatened to take punitive action against the controllers.
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50293000/jpg/_50293091_010778174-2.jpg The strike action could affect the travel plans of up to 250,000 people
"The decision to paralyse air traffic in the country is extremely serious and, as well as being extremely serious misconduct that could be punished with disciplinary dismissals... it constitutes a crime," Aena said.
It is not clear how long the protest is intended to last, but according to Iberia, Barajas airport could remain closed until 2400 GMT.
Iberia has cancelled all flights from Spanish airports until 1000 GMT on Saturday.
Aena estimates that the strike action could affect the travel plans of up to 250,000 people.
"All flights are blocked, there's a huge lot of people here, sitting around everywhere. Right now everyone is calm, but we don't know what's happening," said one traveller at Barajas airport.
"The captain came out to say Spanish airspace had suddenly shut, with no prior warning," another passenger stuck in a plane at Palma told Spanish radio.
They could be charged with sedition if they don't come back to work.