Tripoli, 17 September:
The government has pledged to meet the demands of air traffic controllers who have recently staged strike action over . . .[restrict]inadequate working conditions.
Deputy Transport Minister Fauzi Bettamir said that the demands would be addressed within the next two months and that this should lead to a resumption of normal services.
Air traffic controllers have been complaining of a lack of training for staff and the deficiencies of existing navigational equipment.
There have also been demands to review the positions of some officials within the system.
“These demands, which primarily concern the safety of Libyan citizens, are legitimate and will be met in the next two months”, Bettamir said.
The minister went on to acknowledge that the complaints in question had been raised on a number of occasions in the past, but that the government had failed to address them since.
On Sunday, air traffic controllers staged an unannounced strike in Tripoli and Benghazi, resulting in the diversion or cancellation of a number of flights.
Amongst those caught up in the disruption was a Tunisair flight that was forced to remain on the tarmac in Benghazi for several hours and a Qatar Airways plane that diverted to Alexandria.
Strike action was also staged back in April, and Sunday’s move was said to be directly linked to the failure of the government to address concerns in the intervening period. [/restrict]
