AIR DISRUPTIONS – Hundreds stranded after protesting OA pilots ground domestic flights
Hundreds of Olympic Airlines passengers were stranded at Athens International Airport yesterday as 12 domestic flights were canceled with a further 20 due to be canceled by late last night. OA’s management blamed the union representing the pilots of planes used for domestic flights – small twin-propeller aircraft – for the disruption. According to OA, the pilots were not on strike but many claimed to be sick and an unusually large number of technical problems with the planes were reported. The protesters reportedly object to the stance of another union – representing pilots of modern jet aircraft – in negotiations for a collective work contract.