Computer helps prevent London air-traffic jam

Press, 29 August 1977, Page 8

Computer helps prevent London air-traffic jam

: nzpa London I A computer helped clear, up holiday air-traffic congestion in London at the week-end despite a strike by ! assistant air controllers. Traffic jams in the air and long waits on the ground also failed to materialise because some flights were cancelled and many travellers decided not to fly. The assistant controllers had already been backing their pay demands by a go- . slow since mid-August. That ' had turned airport lounges into prisons full of limp holiday-makers seemingly awaiting passage to anywhere. ' The assistants' total stop--1 page, for four days starting ’on Friday, had been ex-' ' pected to result in chaos 1 over the (northern) sum--1 mer’s last long week-end. which included a bank holi1 day today. ‘ Instead, the chief coni' trollers called in the giant '• computer at West Drayton, 1 which is responsible for .'sorting out air traffic patsterns and problems over 1 most of southern England. ]iThe computer is normally ■f worked by the assistants.

“Yes, it is true the computer is in operation, ’ » , spokesman for the Civil Aviation Authority said last night. “It was switched on on Friday. The air traffic controllers felt that with the assistants on strike they 'were justified in using it.” The computer was scheduled to cut out again on Tuesday, when the assistants were to end their strike and ; go back to their work-to-rule. Earlier, anticipating the i effect of the strike at home and a go-slow by air controllers in France and Spain. British Airways had already cut about 100 flights per day between Friday and today. All the other airlines serving - London eliminated altogether ' about 400 flights. With thousands of poten tial passengers deciding in , favour of slower but surer transportation to their vaca- ; tion destinations, some of the flights that left London t had empty seats aboard. The air control assistants ! are demanding implementation of a 17 per cent •Ipay increase, promised two years ago but put on ice by ■ the Labour Government's ’ fight against inflation.