Greek air traffic controllers joined public sector workers in a 24-hour strike over pay today, grounding more than 200 flights and angering travellers who only got a few hours' notice of the disruption.
The controllers' union decided to join the national protest late yesterday, catching many airlines and Greek transport authorities by surprise. Both domestic and international flights were hit by the action.
"This is irresponsible, in such a situation one has no way of warning the passengers," a spokesman for German flag carrier Deutsche Lufthansa AG said.
Stranded passengers were fuming. "I've been here since 6 a.m. A handful of people cannot cause this hardship for all of Greece," one man, still waiting for his flight to the Greek island of Rhodes, told Greek television.
The Transport Ministry said the union only gave authorities three hours' notice and warned in a statement it would take the labour body to court to claim compensation.
Union officials said the controllers would handle emergency, military and VIP flights as usual, but other traffic would be limited to one flight per destination for each airline.
An Athens airport spokesman said out of 403 domestic and international flights scheduled for tomorrow, 241 had to be cancelled. He could not give an exact number of international flights that had been affected.
Adding to the chaos, about 2,500 Athens airport workers downed tools for three hours in solidarity with the public sector strike.
- Irish flights are unaffected.