Stoppage affects 20,000 passengers
Aviation chiefs blamed the stoppage on a refusal by air traffic controllers to follow new work practices. But workers representatives said the strike was solely because a number of controllers had been suspended without pay.
Passengers are being advised to double check their flight arrangements amid fears the industrial relations deadlock could escalate.
Taoiseach Brian Cowen warned travellers should not be inconvenienced no matter what differences existed at the airports.
The four-hour strike saw controllers leave their desks between 2pm and 6pm at Cork, Dublin and Shannon airports, affecting over 200 flights, including those travelling over Ireland.
Disruption affected 80 flights in Dublin, 16 in Cork, 10 in Shannon and 100 overflights, said the authority. A number of flights were affected at Kerry, Galway and Knock.
The Irish Aviation Authority called on controllers to resume their working practices, drop their 6% pay rise claim and pay a contribution to their pension. The authority said controllers were unwilling to continue new work practices.
Controllers were some of the best paid public servants in the country, it argued.
“On average, they cost the Irish Aviation Authority €160,000 each. Earnings for the top 10% controllers last year ranged from €170,000 to €230,000.”
But IMPACT – the trade union for controllers – said the stoppage had nothing to do with pay or work practices and was solely in support of colleagues, 14 of whom had been suspended by yesterday evening.
“The disruption can be avoided if management withdraws the suspensions,” it said.
IMPACT claim there was no need for the suspensions as changes for controllers are being dealt with by the Labour Relations Commission and the Labour Court which are due to reach a decision in a week. Employers group IBEC said there was no justification for air traffic controllers “holding the country to ransom”.
A number of airlines, including Aer Lingus, contacted passengers by text or phone about the stoppage but others such as Spanish airline, Iberia, failed to inform customers.
Ryanair has called on the Government to bring in military air traffic controllers. Transport Minister Noel Dempsey has been called on by the Irish Small and Medium Enterprises to implement contingency measures to ensure a similar stoppage is avoided.
