Brussels, 24/06/2014 (Agence Europe) - A strike by air traffic controllers has been announced for the beginning of the holidays and, according to European Commissioner for Transport Siim Kallas, has already created a feeling of déjà vu. The commissioner has joined the airlines in condemning the strike. This new protest against the European “Single Sky” is taking place with France due to present its performance plan to the European Commission for the 2015-2019 period at the end of the month.
Speaking on Twitter or Tuesday 24 June, Kallas expressed his regret about the disruption that will occur at the beginning of the holiday period. The air traffic controllers' strike is planned for 24-29 June, the first weekend of the beginning of the holidays. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) also sharply criticised the strike action and pointed out the importance of reforms in the aviation sector as part of the European “Single Sky”, to which France is a signatory. IATA Director General Tony Tyler expects the country to respect its commitment and “not buckle under the pressure of a privileged few controllers seeking to protect themselves from the 'efficiency' that every other industry and worker is challenged to achieve”. He emphasised that there are more borders in the skies over Europe than exist on land and that this comes at a great cost because, in 2012, over 130 million hours of potentially productive time were wasted because of delays that could have been prevented with European Single Sky.
Member states are dragging their heels when it comes to abolishing their respective national barriers by implementing functional airspace blocks. A new round of infringement procedures against states could be submitted on 10 July next. (MD)