Airliners.net

Quick heads up, the Greeks controllers are striking again, for longer this time. No word yet if management are working or not.
BA has cancelled the following.

Wednesday 5 October
BA631 ATH-LHR
BA638 LHR-ATH
BA639 ATH-LHR
BA640 LHR-ATH
BA641 ATH-LHR
BA632 LHR-ATH
BA633 ATH-LHR

Strike runs from 00:01 - 23:59.  

Quoting readytotaxi (Thread starter): Quick heads up, the Greeks controllers are striking again, for longer this time.

Why? Greece is broke. An ATC strike will just increase the pain for everyone. I understand the controllers are upset... But the pay rates I've seen show they are over-compensated.

Everyone else is broke. The era of Greece being subsidized is over. That means painful deflation for Greece government workers. : ( I'm not happy about it. But why bother striking. It won't change anything and could make it worse.

I assume military ATC will ensure over-flights will continue as with some previous Greek ATC strikes? (Note: I'm asking.)

Lightsaber

Quoting readytotaxi (Thread starter): Quick heads up, the Greeks controllers are striking again, for longer this time. No word yet if management are working or not.

Its a weekly event now LOL...

I got caught up in it recently :

Lufthansa Business -ATC Strike+New Senator Lounge. (by OA260 Oct 4 2011 in Trip Reports)

Also lots of Swiss flights affected :

04.10.2011 Zurich Athens LX1842 cancelled
04.10.2011 Geneva Athens LX1824 cancelled
04.10.2011 Zurich Saloniki LX1850 cancelled
05.10.2011 Athens Zurich LX1843 cancelled
05.10.2011 Athens Geneva LX1825 cancelled
05.10.2011 Saloniki Zurich LX1851 cancelled
05.10.2011 Geneva Athens LX1822 cancelled
05.10.2011 Athens Geneva LX1823 cancelled
05.10.2011 Zurich Athens LX1830 cancelled
05.10.2011 Athens Zurich LX1831 cancelled
05.10.2011 Zurich Athens LX1838 cancelled
05.10.2011 Athens Zurich LX1839 cancelled
05.10.2011 Zurich Athens LX1842 delayed
05.10.2011 Geneva Athens LX1824 delayed
05.10.2011 Zurich Saloniki LX1850 delayed

http://www.swiss.com/web/EN/various/...king_news/Pages/breaking_news.aspx

TK also cancelled ATH and SKG flights from IST;
http://www.turkishairlines.com/tr-TR...ve-selanik-seferlerinde-iptal.aspx

Quoting lightsaber (Reply 1): Why? Greece is broke. An ATC strike will just increase the pain for everyone.

Yes, everyone realises that... except for the people involved. The airlines should be able to offload the costs caused by the strike to Greek ATC, this is so ridiculous, it's getting worse than Spain.

And I'm flying to LCA tomorrow, awesome! Looking forward to an hours late slot in Turkish airspace.

Quoting SandroZRH (Reply 4): The airlines should be able to offload the costs caused by the strike to Greek ATC,

Id sack them without rights to state pensions and really crucify them . They are greedy scum . The Teachers and basic wage earners really are feeling the pinch and many other civil servants. These are the last on the list of having any sympathy. Strikes by ATC should be made illegal and jail them for breaking the law. It should be like the Army and Police. That applies to all countries ATC not just Greece. France/Spain etc...

I am visiting Greece this week and am to fly out of Athens tomorrow. I booked the Air China A332 from ATH-MUC specifically to get on a unique bird (at least for me in North America).

No on in town is shocked at the strike, but it is causing lots of trouble. Fun times.

According to Eurocontrol, the strike is starting today 2100 UTC. With the Libyan airspace also closed, it will look like a barrier right in the middle of the Mediterranean.

Quoting TS-IOR (Reply 7): With the Libyan airspace also closed,

Are you sure, TK is flying both to Benghazi and Mittiga.

Quoting OA260 (Reply 5): Id sack them without rights to state pensions and really crucify them

How does Ronald Reagan Athens International Airport sound to everyone?   

Quoting TK787 (Reply 8):

Tunisair and Libyan Airlines resumed flying as well but it's still under NATO control and thus up to now airlines are still avoiding overflying Tripoli FIR  

Quoting BlatantEcho (Reply 6): I booked the Air China A332 from ATH-MUC specifically to get on a unique bird (at least for me in North America).

Arr thats a shame I did the CDG-ATH on CA and it was a fab experience. Is it cancelled for sure? Or re timed ?

Quoting DeltaMD90 (Reply 9): How does Ronald Reagan Athens International Airport sound to everyone?

LOL... Margaret Thatcher International !! She knew how to deal with Unions thats for sure  

Is Athens predominantly a business or leisure destinaion this time of year.

Perhaps our leaders will not be able to deliver the "bail out" cheque.

"Sorry, we can't deliver it as our flight was cancelled"  

Quoting bennett123 (Reply 12): Is Athens predominantly a business or leisure destinaion this time of year.

Both really although the bulk of Tourists are gone as the height of the season is June/July August and September. When I flew back at the end of September it was mostly Greeks and Ex Pats with Business traffic.

Quoting bennett123 (Reply 12): "Sorry, we can't deliver it as our flight was cancelled"

Then ATC might thank you for it and they would have won in their eyes   They are striking against cuts implemented under the terms of the bail out.

Problem is that no bail out and no austerity, then how soon before the government runs out of cash to pay it's bills.

Quoting OA260 (Reply 2): Its a weekly event now LOL...

  
I prefer Margarita Tuesdays.   

Quoting DeltaMD90 (Reply 9): How does Ronald Reagan Athens International Airport sound to everyone?

  

Some logic there...   

Quoting OA260 (Reply 11): LOL... Margaret Thatcher International !! She knew how to deal with Unions thats for sure

Reagan was famous for firing the striking ATC.

Lightsaber

Quoting bennett123 (Reply 14): Problem is that no bail out and no austerity, then how soon before the government runs out of cash to pay it's bills.

Indeed just shows you how stupid they are.

Quoting lightsaber (Reply 15): I prefer Margarita Tuesdays.

LOL...

Quoting lightsaber (Reply 15): Reagan was famous for firing the striking ATC.

Arr ok learn something new everyday  

All flights were cancelled EXCEPT for ONE FLIGHT on air china. (ATH-MUC-PEK)

Guess what airline I was booked on!  


--
airport was basically empty, no cars, not lines, not much staff.
We loaded up and got out in the middle of the strike !

I am in Munich until tomorrow, then back to PDX. It was amazing luck and my trip saved due to sheer luck!
I#ll post some pictures of the boarding areas etc without anyone in them but 250 or so lucky pax heading to munich  

Well, I hope they won't strike again this Sunday (scheduled to fly MUC-SKG-HER on A3) and Saturday next week (HER-ATH-CDG-MUC on A3 and LH)...

I was looking at flightradar after the strike and spotted a TK A332 doing the short hop, ATH-IST, probably bringing back some stranded pax.

Quoting BlatantEcho (Reply 17): All flights were cancelled EXCEPT for ONE FLIGHT on air china. (ATH-MUC-PEK) Guess what airline I was booked on!

Haha thats great well done !! I guess the Greeks dont want to mess with the Chinese LOL.. All that investment they are putting in  

Quoting TK787 (Reply 19): I was looking at flightradar after the strike and spotted a TK A332 doing the short hop, ATH-IST, probably bringing back some stranded pax.

Again every cloud has a silver lining what a nice AC to get on such a route.

So, jokes aside, what is the issue over? I know they are protesting cuts, but surely there has to be something more. I know they aren't dumb and can see the state of the world economy and especially Greece's, is there something I'm not getting?