Air-traffic controllers strike extended in Frankfurt

Air-traffic controllers at Europe's third busiest hub in Frankfurt, who are due to stage a walkout over pay later on Thursday, will extend their strike to Friday, AFP reported.

16 February 2012, 12:00am

1 min read

Apron controllers, officials who direct planes in and out of parking positions, will strike on Thursday and Friday over pay disputes that fail to take into consideration the opening of a fourth runway late last year

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200 air control workers, including personnel working in the control centre and on the tarmac will stop working from 14:00 to 21:00 GMT on Thursday.

However the union of air traffic controllers said the walkout was not having a big enough effect and a further warning strike would therefore be held again from 07:00-21:00 GMT on Friday.

Frankfurt is Germany's biggest airport and the third-busiest in Europe and so industrial action there could potentially cause severe disruptions.

The dispute concerns the airport's so-called "apron control" staff - in charge of directing aircraft in and out of their parking positions - who decided to take limited industrial action after Fraport, the company which owns and operates the airport, turned down mediation proposals in their wage dispute.

The union argues that apron controllers' pay does not take into account the additional complexity resulting from the opening late last year of a fourth runway in Frankfurt.