Greek air traffic controllers union calls off strike

The Greek Air Traffic Controllers Association on Saturday called off a planned strike, after a meeting with Infrastructure, Transport and Networks Minister Christos Spirtzis.

The unionists had called for starting strikes from Sunday in protest of the overhauling of the civil aviation authority(YPA) under a draft bill which was approved by the Greek parliament on Thursday.

"Following a fruitful meeting with the minister and YPA's chief Constantinos Lintzerakos, during which clarifications were given and clear commitments were undertaken, the planned strikes are called off," a press statement said.

The announcement was made as several airlines had already notified travelers of cancellations and changes of hundreds of flights due to the strike, according to Greek national news agency AMNA's reports.

Representatives of Greek airports suggested travelers contacting their airlines for flight information.

From Tuesday to Saturday, several flights mainly to and from Greek peripheral airports were disrupted due to another strike of the PanHellenic Union of Licensed Aeronautical Telecommunication Officers of the Hellenic civil aviation authority.

Unions were protesting against the "sell-off of control of Greek skies to private interests."

The government assured that under the new law, the restructured Civil Aviation Authority will remain under state control and employees' rights will be protected.

The aim of the reform is to make the civil aviation authority more efficient to the benefits of all citizens, government officials stressed.

The reform was one of the last prerequisites for the conclusion of the first review of the Greek bailout program on the way to the release of the next aid tranche in coming days by international creditors. Endit