Wed, May 16, 2007
Flights Cancelled, Tourists Stranded
A 24-hour strike called by Greek
transport workers Tuesday is expected to disrupt 100 flights at
Athens International Airport -- leaving tourists and residents
on several Greek islands stranded.
Greece's General Confederation of Employees, the country's
largest labor union, called the nationwide strike to protest the
government's handling of a pension fund scandal that led to the
forced resignation of Greece's employment minister, Savvas
Tsitouridis, Saturday.
Athens airport officials said Aegan Airlines cancelled 38
flights and Olympic Airlines was expected to cancel 62
international and domestic flights to the Greek islands and other
destinations on mainland Greece while eight other flights, Milan,
Belgrade, Bucharest, Hania and Santonrini are to be
rescheduled.
Other transport workers expected to join the walkout include
those with the suburban railway system, trolley, ports, bus and
metro services. Banks, tax offices, primary and secondary schools,
government and municipal offices will close for the day while
construction workers will stay away from building sites, according
to The Europe Channel.
The Greek mass media are also expected to join in the 24-hour
walkout resulting in a news blackout that will affect all radio and
television programming as well as press offices and print media
Media workers are demanding the return of their state pension
funds' purchase of government bonds at inflated prices. The union
is accusing more than 20 state-controlled funds of paying face
value for bonds quoted at a steep discount by electronic vendors in
what appears to have been long-running fraud carried out by Greek-
owned brokerage companies as reported by European news outlet
EUX.TV.
A protest march through central Athens to protest the latest
fund scandal is also scheduled. Thousands of union members
belonging to Greece's General Confederation of Employees and state
sector workers are expected to participate.
More News
Chaff Thin, narrow metallic reflectors of various lengths and frequency responses, used to reflect radar energy. These reflectors, when dropped from aircraft and allowed to drift d>[...]
“Today, XB-1 took flight in the same hallowed airspace where the Bell X-1 first broke the sound barrier in 1947. I’ve been looking forward to this flight since founding>[...]
“Teaming up with the EAA and Berlin Express for this event in Cincinnati will give warbird fans a unique opportunity to see the aircraft that helped defend freedom and gave t>[...]
Hazardous Weather Information Summary of significant meteorological information (SIGMET/WS), convective significant meteorological information (convective SIGMET/WST), urgent pilot>[...]
Aero Linx: The Nebraska Aeronautics Commission The Nebraska Aeronautics Commission was created by the 1935 Legislature to oversee the development of aviation in the state. The Comm>[...]