Shannon Airport at a standstill

Shannon Airport came to a virtual standstill on Wednesday afternoon after air traffic controllers engaged in mandatory union meetings.

The dispute, which began at 2pm and continued until 6pm, grounded nine flights including two British Airway flights that transit Shannon to New York for US pre-clearance facilities.
The workers, in dispute over the suspension of 15 colleagues by the Irish Aviation Authority, five of whom are based at Shannon, warned that further stoppages could be on the cards.
The IAA imposed the suspensions after air traffic controllers followed the instruction of its union, IMPACT, not to co-operate with a number of new technology projects unless the authority commits to payment for these changes.
However, the IAA has claimed that the real agenda behind the dispute is the ongoing talks between the authority and IMPACT over a 6% pay claim and the proposed introduction of staff contributions to their pension scheme in line with all other public sector staff.
At Shannon, four inbound flights, a British Airways flight from London, Ryanair flights from Faro and Gatwick and an Aer Lingus flight from Heathrow, were cancelled, as were the corresponding outbound flights, in addition to a Ryanair flight to Paris.
Clare Fine Gael Deputy Pat Breen has called for the immediate intervention of the Labour Relations Commission before the dispute escalates further.
“I understand that five air traffic controllers at Shannon were suspended yesterday (Tuesday) because they refused to cooperate with the introduction of new technology and that further suspensions could follow. If this continues, then we could be facing into a situation where air travel into this country will be brought to a complete standstill.
“The Air Traffic Control Centre at Shannon Airport controls around 90% of all Irish airspace and 220 miles off the south and west coasts, so it is not only Shannon Airport or indeed Irish airports which would be affected by the disruption.
“Elements of the dispute between both parties are due to be discussed at the Labour Court in Mid-February but this is too long for this dispute to be allowed to fester. No dispute can be resolved without both parties sitting down around a table. Even at this, the 11th hour, disruption could be avoided with the assistance of the Labour Relations Commission,” he argued.