Strike action could hit summer holiday flights in Europe

Flights across Europe this summer holiday period could face extreme disruption due to strike action by air traffic controllers. 

Eurocontrol, which manages flights over Europe, has said one of its unions could take industrial action, although no dates have been announced yet. 

Negotiations are continuing with the union and other unions, Eurocontrol said. It said it was “making every effort to keep negotiations open and to find a constructive way forward”.

One of Eurocontrol’s trade unions – Union Syndicale Bruxelles, had “announced a period of six months during which industrial action could take place”.

The strikes could take place in its Network Manager Operations Centre, which handles more than 10 million flights a year. 

Eurocontrol stressed that it was in “ongoing dialogue” with the union.

“As no notice of specific industrial action has been received, it is premature to speculate on any potential impact,” it said.