Airlines avert strike chaos

Press, 15 August 1978, Page 9

Airlines avert strike chaos

I NZPA-Reuter Paris! Air traffic was virtually ; 'normal over France at the week-end despite a work-to-rule by air controllers, now (in its third day. The situation at the two < main Paris airports was i I calm with few flight delays,! in contrast to the peak holi-i day week-end at the end of!. last month when a previous; ( go-slow caused lengthy hold-!} ups. Passengers spent days) in airport departure lounges. |. Airline sources said the); absence of chaos at the two!; main Paris airports was;’’ largely because airlines fol-! lowed Government orders! 1 and cut down on under-1' booked flights. s At Charles de Gaulle air-! port, only 192 traffic move-(t ments were scheduled com-! I pared with a normal figure!) of 236. Some flights were'i

(delayed, but never more) (than half an hour, the! sources said. An -Air France spokesman) at Orly said flights were arriving and leaving more or less on time with maximum delays of only a few min;utes. ( In Britain, however, holi- , daymakers heading for Medi- ! terranean resorts faced (delays of up to 12 hours (because of the strike. I Airport officials said the (situation had got worse j since Saturday because of accumulated delays. But the officials said the situation was not nearly as chaotic as on previous strike bound week-ends. The 2500 French air controllers are due to end their! latest work-to-rule, the fifth! in the last month, tomorrow ( morning.