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Spanish Skies Shut Down After 90% Of Air Traffic Controllers "Call In Sick" In Protest Over Austerity
Update from the AP: Spain orders its air traffic controllers to resume work or military will take over control of airspace. That's some serious flu going around.
If you are reading this from an airplane, we can only hope your final destination is not Spain. Sky News has just broken that virtually all Spanish air traffic is shut down after 90% of air traffic controllers have decided not to work due to "illness" but mostly in protest of austerity. Those with a memory that stretches beyond the last Dancing with the Stars episode will recall that this is what happened in Greece just days before the people died in riots and Waddell and Reed experimented with the whole sell concept.
From Sky News:
Passengers across Spain are facing huge disruption after air traffic controllers staged an unofficial walkout.
The group called in sick en masse, closing down airspace over Spain - except the southern region of Andalucia.
"Around 90% of controllers abandoned their work posts," resulting in the mass shutdown, said an AENA spokesman.
There were just three air traffic controllers at Madrid's Barajas airport to cope with landing aircraft, the spokesman added.
Transport minister Jose Blanco said Spain would not allow the air traffic controllers to engage in "blackmail".
Those due to fly to Spain from the UK are being advised to call their airline.'
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President Reagan knew what to do. Fire them!
The military stepping in is never good news.
Well seeing as i live in Spain i feel i can comment on this. The Spanish government have had the air traffic controllers in their sights for some time now, apparently they are the cause of 'la crisis' in Spain (along with the Moros, los sin papeles,intereconomia, the pope, anti abortionists and men who beat up their wives.) Of course Zapatero has nothing to do with it all and didn't sell off Spain at his last meeting in America (surrounded by the 'white shoe boys' of wall street) to the highest bidder oh no, its those damn air traffic controllers and their 'high' wages. Spain is in melt down, we have over 25% of the population en paro (unemployment) and it is going to take 15 years to resolve acording to the PSOE (will there be a Spain in 15 years?) Basically the air traffic controllers are earning more than the political class, something that just will not do. There is even talk now of 'delitos' (crimes) but to be honest the Spanish government are nothing more than a bunch of blowhards,they will lose this dick measuring contest.They have played it smart [the ATC mob] by going sick (baja) because their is nothing they can do. How can the military ATC possibly cope with an aircraft taking off and landing every minute as they do in Barajas? They lack the experience to control this many aircraft. They can just about manage one every ten minutes which is what will happen if they do take over control, but what about el prat in Barcelona? what about every other airport in Spain? The Spanish government have had it, they have shot their wad and this weekend it is going to get very interesting indeed to say the least.
I want my Deutschmark back. Immediately.
Interesting indeed. Thanks for the dispatch, amigo.
Buena suerte, compadre.
Muchas gracias! (and bony nachos) :>D
Hey, nachos are Mexican, not Spanish! It is funny (or sad) how many people tend to confuse these things. Even in souvenir shops in Barcelona they sell (or used to sell, I think they don't anymore) Mexican hats. Nonsense! These shops are usually run by foreigners.
I wouldn't say the government blames air trafic controllers for the mother of all economic crises. ATC earn far too much money, so in my view they have no moral right to complain about the new legislation that effectively lowers their wage. Though as anyone who sees his or her work conditions degraded, they will complain.
So the government must do something about it. But bringing the military in...??? This has never been done with democracy in Spain, and seems to me a precedent for future use of military. Maybe the government senses things are going to get so twisted they think they are going to need the military soon again, so they want to normalise their use for the public opinion?? This is serious: they threaten to charge ATCs with sedition!
For Spain and it's banks to be in such good health, it sure is acting more like Greece on steriods day by day. Lets see what this Sunday/Monday before the markets open up happens in Spain.
http://www.degaray.com/updates134.html
ol' gipper had an answer to this ...
everything hidden in plane site
http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/7928271
Thanx for the link, I'm gonna have to find some free time to visit that site and play!