Austrian expert: Severe flight delays caused by Hungarian air traffic controllers
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Daniel Liebhart is the leader of the air traffic controller department of Vida, an Austrian trade union and also works as an air traffic controller. He believes the main cause for the severe delays concerning many flights in Europe is the Hungarian air traffic controllers and the HungaroControl. He added that they struggle for better working conditions but the Orbán cabinet does not listen to their needs and demands.
Is the Hungarian government the reason for the many delayed, cancelled flights in Europe?
Mr Liebhart stated in a recent Facebook post that “HungaroControls airspace is the number one delay factor in the European ATM network”. Concerning the reasons, he came up with the following explanation.
“Because social dialogue is completely missing. Working conditions are deteriorating and staff is leaving the company [the HungaroControl – DNH]. Gewerkschaft vida and ETF Civil Aviation call on #Orban and his government to establish meaningful social dialogue. People all over Europe and #austria will be facing major delays for their #Holidays towards #greece and #turkey!”, he concluded his post.
Budapest is on the top, but that is bad news
He also shared an ACC view on which Budapest is unquestionably on the top meaning that the air traffic flow management (ATFM) delay en route was the highest in Budapest:
Glad I decided not to fly through Hungarian airspace on my way to Budapest on an upcoming trip. They screwed the railroads and now they are screwing air traffic. Hopefully the highway on my way in won’t be subject to some kind of government created nightmare. How do Hungarians put up with this?
I have never had a problem leaving the airport and I fly frequently. More proof is needed rather than this Austrian ‘experts’ claims. It appears as just another attack on the government. Perhaps the ‘expert’ is a friend of Anthony Blinken!