Fire breaks out at Berlin airport, flights diverted

A large fire broke out at the military section of Berlin's Tegel airport on Thursday, prompting authorities to divert flights elsewhere. A spokesman for Tegel airport said incoming flights were being diverted to Schoenefeld airport in the eastern part of the German capital because large clouds of smoke made landing difficult.

Strike in French Polynesia leaves airport arrivals unchecked

A strike by public servants in French Polynesia has continued despite a French senate vote to change the pension system. The week-long strike was called in a bid to get a moratorium on the French plan to cut pensions in its overseas territories. At the international airport, officials say there are now no customs checks, with arriving passengers.

Alaska pilots issue warning to management
In response to a new deal between Alaska Airlines and Delta Airlines, pilots for Alaska said that they want to share in the new agreement’s success. Alaska Airline pilots are trying to hammer out a new contract with the airline’s management; negotiations that are now in the hands of a federal mediator. If those negotiations fail, the pilots say that there will be a 30-day cooling off period, which could be followed by a strike.

American's flight attendants march, warn of possible strike

Dozens of American Airlines flight attendants marched at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport Tuesday to mark the 15th anniversary of their union's strike - and to warn that another walkoff could happen unless a new contract is inked with the airline. About 50 flight attendants marched and chanted slogans, such as "We've done it before, we'll do it again" outside the airport's Terminal C. Attendants are currently negotiating a new contract, and are hoping to see pay increases that restore wages lost under concessions in 2003, when American was on the brink of bankruptcy.

Air Berlin Flights Are Disrupted by Pilots' Strike
Pilots at Air Berlin Plc's LTU and Dba units walked off their jobs for 2 1/2 hours today to protest cost-cutting measures, causing four flight cancellations and 10 delays at Europe's third-largest discount carrier. The pilots stopped working between 5:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. local time, the Vereinigung Cockpit union said today in a statement. The disruptions were limited to LTU flights.

Alitalia to scrap 100 flights a day

Alitalia will scrap 100 flights a day until the end of November due to ongoing wildcat strikes by pilots and flight attendants, the airline's bankruptcy administrator said in an interview published Tuesday. Some Alitalia workers have been causing havoc for over a week with unannounced protests against a plan to sell the carrier to a group of Italian investors. The company said pilots and flight attendants have been applying job rules strictly or calling in sick, causing delays and forcing hundreds of cancellations.

Japan Airlines Says Some Workers May Strike Tomorrow

Nov. 18  -- Japan Airlines Corp., the nation's largest international carrier, said some pilots, airline attendants, and other workers may strike tomorrow.

One of its unions is also planning a strike on Nov. 20, according to a statement received by e-mail late yesterday from the Tokyo-based company. No international flights will be affected by the strikes although some domestic services may be canceled or delayed, the airline said.

British Pilots threaten to strike over ID cards

The first wave of ID cards to be issued to British citizens has prompted airline pilots to threaten a strike rather than accept the documents. Aviation workers have warned that proposals to make airport staff register for the cards from next year would do little to improve security. The British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa), which represents 10,000 of the 12,000 commercial pilots and flight engineers in Britain, said its members were being treated as "guinea pigs".

IAA workers sanctions at Ben-Gurion end after 3 hours

The Israel Airport Authority (IAA) Workers' Union ended three hours of sanctions at Ben-Gurion Airport on Sunday night, which they implemented after their meetings with management regarding salaries hit a dead end earlier in the day. The employees agreed to go back to work after Histadrut Labor Federation chairman Ofer Eini and Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz intervened. Negotiations with airport management were expected to continue on Monday. However, the workers reserved the right to take "organizational steps" if the talks were not productive. On Sunday afternoon, all departing flights were delayed as employees left their stations. According to the management, employees had exaggerated their salary demands and that was the reason the negotiations had ended with no result. By 8 p.m., however, the sanctions were officially over, and flights resumed.

WORK-TO-RULE STRIKE FOR AIRONE AND MERIDIANA PILOTS AS WELL
Also the unions of AirOne and Medidiana pilots have diced to start applying regulations strictly. For AirOne this was announced in a note of 'Unione Piloti' (UP) at Fiumicino Airport. "In line with what our Alitalia colleagues are doing" the document states "and for the clear reasons that have lead to these choices" the UP AirOne "fully support" the action of Alitalia colleague because "unity is necessary to allow cohesion in Italian pilots' unions to have indisputable arguments respected after clear violations. It is absolutely wrong to think that the union of AirOne pilots is not involved.
  CAI intends to take the economic-social status of the union decades back. The time has come to apply daily regulations strictly, there is no more room for mediation and there will be no second chance. If this battle is lost the war is over". The message regarding Meridiana of its unions Anpac, UP and APM is similar. This morning no AirOne flights were cancelled though, there were some delays up to almost an hour for Malpensa Airport (8.15h flight), Turin (9.10) Catania (12.10) and Genoa (12.40).

Civil Servants Begin Strike In Tahiti
French state civil servants began an unlimited strike Wednesday in an all-out, last-minute effort to try and convince the French Legislature to avert enactment of controversial proposed pension reform legislation. The labor unions representing some 6,900 retired French civil servants living in Tahiti as well as many more still working who would be affected by the proposed reform began their strike effort at the Tahiti-Faa'a Airport early Wednesday morning.

Air France flights face severe strike disruption from Friday

Half of Air France's long-haul flights from Paris on Friday will likely be cancelled as part of severe four-day disruptions caused by a strike called by French pilots' unions, the airline said. The strike, which will start at midnight (2300 GMT Thursday) and end Monday at midnight (2300 GMT), affects all French air carriers and was called in protest at proposals that could see flight crew work until 65 years of age.

UPDATE: See Air France Strike website

Papua New Guinea flights grounded
PORT MORESBY: Flights in Papua New Guinea have been grounded due to an on-going air traffic control pay dispute. The Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA) will have a midday meeting today to decide whether to return to work after several days of disrupted services. The stand-off between the ATCA and PNG's Civil Aviation Authority has disrupted Air Niugini's international and domestic flights as well as the country's other carrier Airlines PNG.

Wildcat strike hits Italy's Alitalia

A wildcat strike by Alitalia employees on Tuesday forced the cancellation of at least 20 flights at Rome's Fiumicino airport and further disruptions at airports in Milan, Naples and Venice.

The 24-hour walkout by pilots, flight attendants and ground staff is to protest what they say is a breach in an agreement with labour unions by a private consortium, CAI, which has offered to buy Alitalia's state-owned controlling state.

Update: November 12. Italian airline Alitalia canceled more flights Wednesday amid a protest action by pilots and flight attendants. Eighteen flights had been canceled by 0830 GMT Wednesday stranding hundreds of passengers. The airline canceled 124 flights Tuesday.

Alitalia has warned passengers to expect further delays next week.

Strike notice served on Aer Lingus
AS SIPTU served two weeks’ notice of strike action by its 1,700 members at Aer Lingus yesterday, the Government was once more urged to step in to prevent chaos at airports in the run-up to Christmas. Immediate strike action can begin as early as November 24, the date seen as the start of the airline’s busiest period as large numbers travel to the US for Thanksgiving. In the absence of any third-party intervention the airline will grind to a halt well before Christmas, stranding up to 20,000 passengers per day. Aer Lingus will not be able to even offer a limited service because to do so would require the use of agency workers.

Alitalia Protests Cancel Nearly 100 Flights

Protests by Alitalia employees opposed to the carrier's takeover by Italian businessmen forced the cancellation of at least 95 flights on Monday, and some workers threatened an immediate 24 hour strike. Alitalia's pilots and cabin crew are objecting to new work contracts proposed by the Compagnia Aerea Italiana (CAI) group, which plans to buy the airline's profitable parts for EUR375 million euros (USD$483.6 million) in a bid to relaunch it. CAI, which has the backing of four major Alitalia unions, is pressing ahead with the deal despite resistance from pilots and cabin crew and plans to approach them directly to offer jobs. But that has only pushed the employees -- long used to having their demands met by threatening strikes to paralyse Italy's national airline -- on to the offensive. Alitalia's pilots have already called for 15 one-day strikes through to May in protest at the deal. At an impromptu meeting at Rome's Fiumicino Airport, about 300 workers decided to launch a 24-hour strike starting at 1700 GMT on Monday.

Emergency landing closes Ciampino airport

Rome Ciampino Airport was closed to air traffic for part of the day Monday after a Ryanair flight from Germany made an emergency landing, officials said.Officials for the low-cost airlines said the plane experienced engine problems from birds hitting the craft as it was landing at Rome's second-largest airport, the BBC reported.

UPDATE NOVEMBER 11: Rome's Ciampino Airport remains closed today, following the emergency landing of a Ryanair flight there yesterday.

Alitalia Pilots strike for 15 days
ANPAC, Unione Piloti, ANPAV, AVIA and SDL Italian unions announced 15 days of strike by Alitalia pilots in the next six months. These are the dates: November 25th, December 6th, January 7th, 16th and 27th, February 20th and 9th, March 3rd, 16th and 27th, April 7th and 20th, May 4th, 15th and 26th.

Ben Gurion workers resume work after strike

The National Labor Court has ordered Israel Airports Authority (IAA) employees at Ben Gurion International airport to cease striking and return to work immediately, Israel Radio reported Monday morning.

ICTU seeking talks to avert Aer Lingus strike

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions is to make contact with the other social partners and relevant government departments in an attempt to avert potential industrial action at Aer Lingus.

SIPTU members are currently balloting for strike action over the airline's plans to shed up to 1,500 jobs as part of a €74m cost-cutting programme.

The union says the action will go ahead if Aer Lingus tries to impose the cuts unilaterally.

ITALY – November 2008 Strikes

Transport is one of Italy's most strike-prone sectors, at the same time as being covered by legislation (law 146, 1990) regulating strikes in essential public services. A strike must be announced and because of the "announcement effect", a strike call can cause considerable disruption, even though the strike itself is cancelled.

08.11.2008 12.00-16.00 Aviation Services Catania
09.11.2008 12.00-16.00 Air One Pilots (not in Catania Venice and Bari)
09.11.2008 11.00-15.00 Avia Partner Save Handling Venice
14.11.2008 11.00-15.00 Airport di Puglia - Bari
21.11.2008 12.00-16.00 Enav (Air Traffic Control) Napoli
25.11.2008 12.00-16.00 Eurofly Pilots
25.11.2008 00.00-24.00 SAS and BAS Handling Bologna
25.11.2008 00.00-24.00 Alitalia, Alitalia service and call center.
25.11.2008 00.00-24.00 Meridiana Pilots
25.11.2008 00.00-24.00 SAT Handling Pisa
25.11.2008 00.00-24.00 SAV GH SAVE and Aviapartner handling Venice

Planned Air France cabin crew strike delayed

Cabin staff at Air France voted on Saturday to delay a strike planned for next week over measures that would allow them to work until 65 and which unions fear may open the way to pushing back the retirement age of flight crew.

The four-day strike, originally planned to begin on Tuesday, will now be delayed until Dec. 5-9, the eight unions that called the strike said in a statement.

India - 14,000 airline staff to go on strike on Nov 14

MUMBAI: About 14,000 employees of erstwhile Indian, including pilots, engineers, technicians, ground staff etc will be going on a day long mass casual leave on November 14. Prior to that, they will be staging a two-hour walk-out on November 7 in protest against a range of issues including non-payment of wage arrears and alleged mismanagement in airline.

French unions call for cabin crew strike

Eight French unions called on Thursday for cabin crews to go on a five-day strike to protest against a parliamentary plan to raise their retirement age.

The eight unions said in a statement they were calling for a national strike from Nov 4 through 8. "Without joint action by all the unions, without the support of all the cabin crew, these unacceptable and dangerous measures will be passed," the statement said.

All workers at Air France have called for national strikes from November 4 until November 8.
They are protesting against plans to raise the retirement age for pilots and air crew to 65 (currently 60 for pilots and 55 for hostesses and stewards). While the SNPL pilots union has not officially called for a strike, it said that if the idea was not dropped there "would be a strong reaction and a call for a very long strike."

Aer Lingus LRC talks break down

Aer Lingus management is proceeding with plans to cut 1,500 jobs at the airline after talks at the Labour Relations Commission broke down yesterday.

The airline is seeking cost savings of €74m by outsourcing up to 1,300 ground operations jobs, and using American crews on transatlantic routes.

SIPTU has warned that if Aer Lingus proceeds unilaterally with outsourcing, the union will in turn proceed with industrial action.

Greek Olympic unions 24-hr strike to ground flights

About a hundred Greek flights will be grounded on Thursday due to a 24-hour strike by Olympic Airlines unions opposing the government's plan to privatise the ailing flag carrier, the company said on Wednesday. "Olympic Airlines has decided to suspend 46 return flights, both domestic and international, due to its unions' strike on Oct 30," company spokesman Michalis Mygiakis told Reuters. Flights between Athens and Milan, Rome, Frankfurt, Brussels, Belgrade and London are among those affected.

Passengers stranded after airline collapse
Sterling Airlines will file for bankruptcy today after failing in a battle to keep the airline alive after its financial lifeline was withdrawn because of the economic crisis.

In a statement, the carrier said: “During the last three years, Sterling Airlines has been through a lot of changes and since acquired by new shareholders in spring 2005 the company has taken on a merger with Maersk Air. In 2005, the total loss of both airlines exceeded DKK800 million and both owners wanted out one way or the other.  Therefore, all jobs in both airlines were at stake and so was also the competitive landscape in Scandinavian aviation since only the presence of a low cost carrier would ensure healthy competition and pricing on the market.”

Argentinas and Austral Lineas Aereas workers on strike

Aerolineas Argentinas and Austral Lineas Aereas workers at Ministro Pisarini International Airport (SAEZ/EZE) in Buenos Aires launched a strike on 24 October 2008 after two passengers allegedly assaulted airline employees. The passengers, who have since been arrested, became angry after learning that their flight had been canceled at a check-in counter. Most flights have been canceled or delayed as a result of the strike. The incident has not affected the operations of other airlines at the facility.

London's city airport evacuated

London Fire Brigade is investigating a suspicious package that has forced the evacuation of London City Airport.

A spokeswoman for the airport said all flights have been suspended after a suspicious package was discovered in the ladies' toilet in the terminal.

Airport officials are awaiting further news from the Metropolitan police and there are no details of which airports flights are being diverted to.

Ryanair to stop Valencia flights

Budget airline Ryanair announced it is shutting its base in Valencia, Spain, with the loss of 70 weekly flights following a row with the local council.

The Irish carrier flew from Valencia to 10 destinations including three in England - Stansted, East Midlands and Liverpool.

Flights on all 10 routes, which were used by 750,000 passengers a year, will be cancelled from November 4, Ryanair said A total of 750 local jobs will be lost.

Air India strike threat

A section of Air India’s ground staff has threatened to go on strike from 4pm on Thursday if their demands, which include higher wages, are not met.

The employees, largely associated with baggage handling and loading, were about to launch a strike from Wednesday midnight but agreed to wait till tomorrow afternoon after talks with the management.

Ireland - Strike threat at Galway airport over cutbacks
Galway airport said today it would operate as normal next week despite the threat of industrial action by workers. Siptu officials are to meet tomorrow to decide the timing and form of the action, which is in response to cost-cutting measures introduced at the airport. Siptu’s Paul Gavan said: “Our members understand the need to formulate a plan to make savings at the airport. “However a plan that asks only the workers at the coalface to take the pain, while leaving the terms and conditions of the airport’s very large and extensive management team untouched, is unfair.” He said substantial State funding for the airport should not be spent “in order to protect existing terms of employment for management while savage cuts to airport workers are being imposed”. He said virtually all staff at the airport were members of Siptu and that industrial action would start in the “coming days”.

Nigeria Aviation workers protest

Aviation workers un-der the umbrella of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) Port Harcourt Airport branch, have staged a sensitisation protest to demonstrate their displeasure over the deplorable state of the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa.

The union also used the opportunity to protest the inability of the management of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to pay their 15 per cent salary increase, which was approved by former president, Obasanjo, in 2003.

The workers threatened to embark on industrial strike after two weeks if nothing is done by the management of FAAN to commence the payment of the salary increase and other entitlements.