Air traffic control deal could 'bring calm' after delays at Copenhagen Airport
The air traffic control supplier at Copenhagen Airport, Naviair, and the trade union for its employees, Datca, have announced an agreement which could end months of delays at the airport caused by staff shortages in the flight towers.
The deal “will normalise operation of flight traffic in the Danish airports and Danish air space”, Naviair said in a statement.
The company said it expects a “clear reduction of delays” but Datca warned the deal was not a “long-term solution”.
“With this agreement, our clear expectation is that we will quickly see a marked reduction of delays caused by Naviair,” CEO Mads Kvist Eriksen said.
Thousands of passengers have faced delays at Copenhagen Airport in recent months as the dispute between the two sides unfolded.
READ ALSO: Ryanair demands Danish government action over air traffic control dispute
A shortage of air traffic control staff which can be traced to layoffs during the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in existing staff being asked to take on a large amount of overtime. They eventually refused to take on more shifts, saying the workload was unsustainable.
The latest deal, announced Thursday, is not a “long term solution”, head of the Datca trade union Esben Blum said.
“But we think it’s important to bring calm and try to find the long term solutions for Naviair’s future. We still see a risk that this agreement will not sufficiently ensure staff retention, but time will tell,” he said.
Copenhagen Airport CEO Thomas Woldbye praised the two sides, saying in a statement they had “taken responsibility and worked hard to ensure that there will now be stability around summer [flight] traffic”.
Some 7.5 million passengers are expected to travel through Copenhagen this summer.
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The deal “will normalise operation of flight traffic in the Danish airports and Danish air space”, Naviair said in a statement.
The company said it expects a “clear reduction of delays” but Datca warned the deal was not a “long-term solution”.
“With this agreement, our clear expectation is that we will quickly see a marked reduction of delays caused by Naviair,” CEO Mads Kvist Eriksen said.
Thousands of passengers have faced delays at Copenhagen Airport in recent months as the dispute between the two sides unfolded.
READ ALSO: Ryanair demands Danish government action over air traffic control dispute
A shortage of air traffic control staff which can be traced to layoffs during the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in existing staff being asked to take on a large amount of overtime. They eventually refused to take on more shifts, saying the workload was unsustainable.
The latest deal, announced Thursday, is not a “long term solution”, head of the Datca trade union Esben Blum said.
“But we think it’s important to bring calm and try to find the long term solutions for Naviair’s future. We still see a risk that this agreement will not sufficiently ensure staff retention, but time will tell,” he said.
Copenhagen Airport CEO Thomas Woldbye praised the two sides, saying in a statement they had “taken responsibility and worked hard to ensure that there will now be stability around summer [flight] traffic”.
Some 7.5 million passengers are expected to travel through Copenhagen this summer.
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