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Delayed Passengers Mount at Copenhagen Airport Due to Air Traffic Controller Shortage
According to local aviation news, several flights were subject to 45-minute delays on Sunday evening, while airport representatives remained optimistic that delays wouldn’t be as long as they were on the previous days, AtoZSerwisPlus.com reports.
“A great deal of uncertainty, as every morning we know what we have to do in relation to the operations at Copenhagen Airport. We had a few dreadful days in the past weeks, but today (Sunday) will probably be better than expected, which is positive,” Copenhagen Airport traffic manager Kristoffer Plenge-Brandt said.
The shortage of air traffic controllers occurred after Naviair was forced to cut off 45 out of 300 of its air traffic controllers during the COVID-19 pandemic, and since then, air traffic has bounced faster than expected, leaving the executives unable to meet the demand. The solution to this problem was calling in air traffic controllers to work extra shifts – leading to major conflict.
On the other hand, the air traffic controllers are asking for a substantial salary increase, as more than 40 per cent of air traffic controllers would like to get paid DKK 1,7 million or €230,000 per year to work extra shifts. Naviair finds this demand unacceptable.
Two weeks ago, Copenhagen Airport witnessed 589 flight departures and 74,868 passengers delayed, all due to a lack of air traffic controllers.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has urged Demark and Iceland to cancel the planned increase in air traffic fees that were scheduled to enter force in January. According to IATA, the increase in fees paid by airlines for crossing the airspace would be up to 30 per cent – a ‘money grab’, as the Association’s Regional Visa President called, pointing out that the move was unjustifiable.
“Rather than ramping up charges, the providers should be looking to achieve efficiencies that will keep costs under control. And if efficiencies cannot be found, then it is time for these suppliers to sit in consultation with their customers to review proposals,” he said.
However, these challenges related to air traffic were forecasted by the European air traffic management body, Eurocontrol, saying that air traffic recovery would not happen before 2025.