AENA and IATA urges drivers to avoid strike - it is devastating for tourist industry

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has asked AENA, as a provider of air navigation services in Spain, and air traffic controllers to "take all necessary measures" to prevent the coming strike.

In a statement, the director general and CEO of IATA, Giovanni Bisignani, called on controllers to accept the offer of AENA to go to an arbitration process to resolve the conflict.

"This is no time for strikes. Arbitration is a fair, open and neutral way to resolve the differences between AENA and air traffic controllers. This will prevent the negative impact of a strike on the Spanish economy," said Bisignani.

To Bisignani, "the global financial crisis and the ongoing debt crisis in Europe is challenging governments, employers and employees to change the system to build a stronger economy."

"With 20% unemployment, Spain is not a simple spectator. The Spanish economy is weak and cannot cope with the devastating effects of a strike by air traffic controllers especially in the tourism sector" he said.

Since the IATA said that when the European airspace was closed for several days by the ash, the companies reported losses of 1,800 billion dollars (1.638 million euros), with a cost to the economy of nearly 5,000 million U.S. dollars (3.802 million euros).

"Faced with the threat of a strike, travelers are changing their travel plans to avoid using Spanish airspace. This means big losses for the Spanish economy with its possible consequences on employment. To accept arbitration instead of threatening to go to the strike would restore passenger confidence, "said Bisignani.

Finally, the executive felt that AENA must change to ensure that Spain achieve a financially sustainable air connectivity to boost the economy. The weight of this change includes the controllers

"During the last decade, each industry has had to face the challenge of improving their efficiencies. The airlines have improved their productivity by 63% but the Mexican bankruptcy shows that the industry is fragile and more changes are needed.

The changes in the telecommunications industry, automotive, pharmaceuticals have been massive, often painful but absolutely necessary to survive, "he said.