Brussels, 12 April 2016: Following the announcement of a wildcat strike by Belgian air traffic controllers earlier this evening, ACI EUROPE expresses its outrage at the timing and inappropriateness of such industrial action.

Shutting down the Belgian skies just 10 days after the reopening of Brussels airport following the terrorist attacks of 22 March shows a total lack of decency and respect for the airport and the various aviation partners based there who are all working hard to restore air connectivity. Considering what is at stake, this effectively amounts to intentional damage to the Belgian people, at a time when the country is united in its grief and its resolve.

Olivier Jankovec, Director General, ACI EUROPE said “There are no words to describe how thoughtless, irresponsible and damaging this industrial action is. What the Belgian air traffic controllers are doing isn’t so much adding insult to injury, as injury to injury. And there is no way that they cannot be conscious of that. We are calling on the Belgian government to immediately pursue all available options to ensure that air traffic control services are restored as quickly as possible. This latest episode in the ongoing saga of ATC strikes is yet another reminder of how much air traffic management in Europe needs reform.”

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For more information, please contact:

Robert O’MEARA

Director, Media & Communications

ACI EUROPE (Airports Council International)

10, Rue Montoyer (box No 9), 1000 Brussels, Belgium

Tel: +32 486 541471    Website: www.aci-europe.org          

Fax: +32 2 502 56 37   Twitter: @ACI_EUROPE

For information on airports & their carbon emissions: http://airportCO2.org

ACI EUROPE is the European region of Airports Council International (ACI), the only worldwide professional association of airport operators. ACI EUROPE represents close to 500 airports in 45 European countries. In 2014, our member airports handled over 90% of commercial air traffic in Europe, welcoming more than 1.8 billion passengers, 18.4 million tonnes of freight and 21.2 million aircraft movements. These airports contribute to the employment of 12.3 million people, generating €675 billion each year (4.1%) of GDP in Europe.