Mass flight cancellations expected in May after Poland fails to reach agreement with air traffic controllers

Polish authorities have failed to reach an agreement with air traffic controllers in a dispute over wages and other conditions.

Given the current situation in Poland, the European authorities have planned a large number of flight cancellations, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.

According to Reuters, the disruption, which will affect not only flights to and from Poland but also those transiting through Polish airspace, could begin next week, May 1. It’s only a day after the end of the notice period for air traffic controllers who decide to resign rather than agree on new regulations.

A spokesperson revealed that the main reason why some air traffic controllers have decided not to accept the new work rules is that they believe the new rules threaten safety. Nevertheless, the talks are expected to resume today, April 24.

Commenting on the matter, the European organization for the safety of air navigation, Eurocontrol, told Reuters that Poland’s Civil Aviation Authority would drastically reduce the number of flights in the country’s airspace if no agreement is reached. was found.

“From May 1, the Polish CAA will implement a flight cancellation program to significantly reduce the number of flights to/from Polish airspace,” read the Eurocontrol statement.

Furthermore, it was noted that the two airports located in Warsaw had to handle an average of more than 500 flights per day in May.

However, Polish air traffic controllers revealed that out of the total number of controllers working in Warsaw (206), 180 of them decided to quit rather than work under the new conditions.

The union explained that the reduction in salaries of air traffic controllers as well as the increase in working hours are unacceptable.

In a statement released earlier this week, the union said it was fighting for safety and for the return of a work culture while stressing that an environment of trust is ‘built, not bought’.

Previously, SchengenVisaInfo.com reported that WTTC predicts massive increase in inbound international flights worldwide. According to the latter, during the first quarter of 2022, Europe recorded a 350% increase in the number of arrivals compared to last year.

The second quarter of this year is expected to see even higher rates of international bookings.

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