The Luxembourg approach Controllers Association (LACA), representing air traffic controllers, has issued a statement following disturbances over the last days of air traffic control in Belgium.
Claude Schmit, LACA President, addressed the current social conflict in Belgium concerning Belgian air traffic controllers and referred to the plan to privatise air traffic control in Luxembourg to Belgocontrol, the company involved in the current dispute in Belgium. He warned against this happening as similar social conflict could arise here as a result, including the threat of closing national airspace over the Grand Duchy and the complete blockage of Luxembourg airport.
He went on to state that any privatisation to a foreign service provider, whether Belgian (Belgocontrol) or German (DFS), will make Luxembourg exposed to social conflict between a foreign government and foreign air traffic controllers. These social conflicts will inevitably have significant financial implications not only for the operator and manager of the airport, but mostly for domestic companies such as Luxair and Cargolux. Flights from Luxembourg Air Rescue and the Police would also be affected.
He called on Luxembourg's Minister, Francois Bausch, to avoid entering such an agreement with Belgocontrol as stressed the necessity of retaining national soverignity in air traffic control management.
