Brussels Airport: air traffic control ATC on strike

[luchtzak]

One of my facebook friends is stuck on a flight to BRU

[luchtzak]

Screenprint of the website http://www.brusselsairport.be

[TCAS]

F I N A L L Y :clap:

[Shanti]

I support the Brussels Airport ATC!

[sdbelgium]

In Dutch: http://www.standaard.be/Artikel/Detail. ... 092009_045

[sn26567]

In French: http://www.rtlinfo.be/info/economie/bel ... mprend-pas

[Mirror]

XQ1598 Is currently near NOR descending to Cologne
SV915 Holding over NOR (diverted to AMS)
FQ5955 Is diverting now to Cologne

[jan_olieslagers]

I support the Brussels Airport ATC!

Not the first time I say: let us not jump to conclusions. As I understand from VRT radio* the action was quite spontaneous, not necessarily related to the frustrations we could read read about before. This seems to be about understaffing, not about the merits (or lack thereof) of the management.

For myself I found it quite not-done to go on spontaneous strike, leaving hundreds of travellers lost at last minute. But we don't have sufficient information - if we ever have - to judge. Perhaps they even observed their numbers were insufficient to provide adequate service, and consequently suspended service? That would be just like a PIC** has to act: if we can't fly in safety, we don't fly. Captain's decision, punt aan de lijn.*** We will know one day, probably soon.

[[edit]] One thing we can count on: if (as I stated it could be, without wanting to suggest it actually is) this action is merely a statement of unability to provide adequate service, our current day's journalists are either too dumb or too lazy to distinguish between such a situation and a strike.

*VRT = government broadcast of Flanders = Dutch-speaking Belgium
**PIC=pilot in command
*** point à la ligne // full stop //

[TCAS]

For myself I found it quite not-done to go on spontaneous strike, leaving hundreds of travellers lost at last minute. But we don't have sufficient information - if we ever have - to judge. Perhaps they even observed their numbers were insufficient to provide adequate service, and consequently suspended service? That would be just like a PIC** has to act: if we can't fly in safety, we don't fly. Captain's decision, punt aan de lijn.*** We will know one day, probably soon.

Are you serious?

The ATCO's are trying ....... for almost 10 years.

You NEVER EVER COMPROMISE AIR SAFETY.

From now on the ATCO's must continue and without compromising their actions.

[jan_olieslagers]

Why, yes, I was trying to be serious, even if that is not my strong point. We all know the high level of frustration among Belgocontrol foot soldiers* , it was echoed more than once on these pages. But there we always heard controlled frustration, threats of action soon subdued, communication and discussion before rigidity. The present unannounced disruption is so different that I doubt there is a relation to the long standing frustrations.

But again: we don't know, and we can't know before an insider tells us what actually happened.

Allow me to insist no outsider should tell these brave people what they should do.

*voetvolk/piétaille/

[airazurxtror]

Allow me to insist no outsider should tell these brave people what they should do.

Allow me to say that, in a civilised country, one does not go on strike without having given the mandatory notice, as prescribed by the agreements of the sector.
Is the personal of Belgocontrol going to go on strike like the TEC of Charleroi ? Nothing to be proud of !

[jan_olieslagers]

That's exactly what I said:

I found it quite not-done to go on spontaneous strike

I was rather responding to

From now on the ATCO's must continue and without compromising their actions.

which I consider inappropriate, or that poster should be a Belgocontrol staff member. And even then, this forum is not for one company's internal communications.

[LX-LGX]

Taking innocent people hostage is a serious crime in Belgium, aggravating the sentence.

Only unions get away with it. Every time again.

Shame on them, and all those who support this criminal act.

I have a question for them: a group of 14 pax + 1 tourleader had to fly BRU-LHR-JNB tonight. They're stuck in BRU so they cannot get in London on time for their JNB-flight: the delay of their is not limited to the 2 hours of the "undustrial action": it's already at least 3 hours. For Saturday and Sunday, all flights to South Africa seems to be full. The touroperator doens't has to refund because it's a strike by public servants (sic). Travel insurance companies also exclude strikes. So the well deserved holiday from those 14 people is spoiled. Why? Because a handful of very very well paid people want "better labour conditions" (read: a salary increase will do).

[TCAS]

Taking innocent people hostage is a serious crime in Belgium, aggravating the sentence.

Only unions get away with it. Every time again.

Shame on them, and all those who support this criminal act.

How low can you go!

1. The role or function of ATCO's is heavily underestimated (busy airport).
2. Driving an(y) 'modern' skybus is much more relaxing than being an ATCO (busy airport).
3. The ATCO training period is much much longer then a skybus driver.
4. If a(ny) skybus driver runs out of duty hours, NO skybus leaves (or will leave) the ground unless there are 'some' on call spare skybus drivers (standby crews) available.
5. On long-haul flights NO skybus driver exceeds (or will exceed) their duty hours, simply because they have spare skybus drivers (cruise relief pilots) aboard.
6. In Civilized 'real world' Aviation duty hours and rest periods are 'strongly' respected.
7. Working 10-14 or even (example) 30 days in a row is 'ordinary/modern' Belgian Government/Belgian Civil Aviation Authority legalized and approved slavery.
8. The Belgian Government/Belgian Civil Aviation Authority is 'finally' responsible for 'publics' air safety in general.
9. Nobody compromise(s) Air Safety unless you wanna be a cadaver pouch foul.
etc. etc.

In other words, don't blame the ATCO's for being on strike after 10 years of internal 'management' struggle, unwilling, blind or deaf Belgian Civil Aviation Authority and politicians.

The ATCO's simply don't have the 'promised' manpower to guarantee 'publics' air safety anymore !!

If(?) anyone have 'any' complaints about the ATC strike or action, please make your complaints H E R E !!

BTW I'm a Aviator not an ATCO

My € 0,02

[sean1982]

OH Come on!! What a load of cr*p!!
This is really unbelievable in this country that people can just stop working without any consequences. If I would be doing that in my company, I would very simply get the sack! It's even in my contract! If you want to strike fine, but at least give the legal notice so other people can anticipate on it and make contingency plans. This was the third or the fourth time this year I was stuck in the middle of nowhere with a plane full of pax because belgocontrol personnel didn't like their company very much. It's very simple, if you don't like it leave! There are a lot of people who would like to do the job for you!.

I have been working for 4 weeks in a row, but you don't hear me complain because I get well paid for it! That means the holiday is gonna be more luxurious, that is, if I don't get stranded in BRU of course

The unions have brought companies down in the past, no need to say names, and they will again! Unbelievable!

[Nevihta]

It's very simple, if you don't like it leave! There are a lot of people who would like to do the job for you!.

Read the article...
that's exactly the problem, just that when people are leaving, no one comes to take the job !

Then controllers have to work a lot in a row. Would you be happy to know that pilots of your flight just worked 20 days in a row including nightshifts ?

[sean1982]

No, but that's not the point. The point is that a lot of people have to save hard to do their annual holiday. A lot of them have to sacrifice some pleasures during the year, to pay for their 2 or 3 weeks of time off. Nice to take that away from them because YOU are not happy about your job (I don't mean you personally, generally speaking). I'm saying that there are ways and means of achieving things. Closing down the airspace is not one of them, and you will not get support from the man on the street for those kind of illegal actions!

[luchtzak]

New actions planned after the weekend, I read on www.nieuwsblad.be : http://www.nieuwsblad.be/Article/Detail ... =GJU2FPHAE

A Rudy Tourmalain is talking about a 24-hour strike ...

[TCAS]

if you don't like it leave! There are a lot of people who would like to do the job for you!.

I have been working for 4 weeks in a row, but you don't hear me complain because I get well paid for it! That means the holiday is gonna be more luxurious, that is, if I don't get stranded in BRU of course

If you're working 4 weeks in a row, you are NOT hired by a Civilized Company with respect for Human Performance especially in a high workload environment and 'Aviation' Safety in general.

Third World companies and/or Governments don't give a sh*t about Human Performance and 'Aviation' Safety and will let their employees work for 4 weeks 'or longer' in a row.

In Japan(ese) they call it Karoshi.

It's simple minded to say that a lot of other people would like do the job.

On the Aviation market there are many 'Highly' qualified skybus drivers available, on the ATCO market it's searching for needle in a haystack.

[airazurxtror]

I don't know the working conditions of the air controllers, it may well be that they are unbearable and that the strike is justified.
Going on strike is a right in Belgium, provided that the proper notice is given. Wildcat strike are illegal. They are made to inconvenience as many customers as possible which is mean - the travellers have no responsability whatsoever in Belgocontrol ...