UPDATE: More flights in Norway cancelled due to technician strike
More than 50 scheduled departures out of Norwegian airports have been grounded due to a aircraft technician strike, with airlines announcing new cancellations for Thursday.
More than 60 departures have been cancelled this week already due to an aircraft technician strike. On Wednesday, Norwegian Air Shuttle and Widerøe cancelled 24 flights. Norwegian Air Shuttle announced that several trips on Thursday would be cancelled.
The following Norwegian Air Shuttle flights scheduled to depart Thursday, and their return legs, have been cancelled:
- Oslo-London
- Oslo-Copenhagen
- Oslo-Mallorca
- Oslo-Krakow
- Oslo-Stockholm
- Oslo-London
Norwegian Air Shuttle said that most passengers who had their flights cancelled had been rebooked to fly on the same day.
"Most people get to travel during tomorrow, and then there are some who may end up with a couple of days delay. The Syden (catchall term for popular holiday destinations) planes are very full now, that is where the challenge will be greatest," communications director for Norwegian Air Shuttle, Esben Tuman, told newswire NTB.
The following flights from Widerøe have also been cancelled on Thursday:
- Sandefjord-Stavanger
- Stavanger-Aberdeen
- Aberdeen-Stavanger
- Stavanger-Sandefjord
The Norwegian Air Traffic Technician Organisation (NFO) currently has 106 workers out on strike. The organisation could take out 39 more staff on Friday if an agreement isn't reached.
READ ALSO: Norwegian airports not concerned over summer queuing
Travellers are advised to contact the airline they are meant to be flying with directly if their flight is delayed or cancelled. You can check scheduled departures out of Norwegian airports here.
Widerøe, on Tuesday, urged travellers not to contact them unless their flight has been cancelled, disrupted, or they are unhappy with the alternative travel arrangements that had been offered to them.
"If you have not heard anything from us, then you can be sure that your trip is still planned and carried out and behave in the usual way when you go out and travel," a press officer for the airline told NRK.
Issues with flight cancellations could worsen at the beginning of next week as employer organisation the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO) has announced a lockout which will start on Sunday if a solution to the current aircraft maintenance staff strike isn't reached.
A lockout will mean all air technicians, even those not on strike, will be prevented from going to work to try and force an agreement.
Lockouts are initiated by employers, in contrast to a strike in which employees refuse to work.
Widerøe has warned that a possible lockout will result in most flights being cancelled.
"There is no doubt that if a lockout becomes a fact, it will not take long before most of our planes are on the ground," press manager for Widerøe, Cathrinia Solli, told newswire NTB.
SAS told newspaper VG that it was mapping out possible cancellations in case of a lockout.
Technicians for the air ambulance services will be affected by the lockout, broadcaster TV2 reports. However, NFO is in talks to have air ambulance staff excluded from the lockout.
READ MORE: Lockout for aircraft technicians announced unless wage agreement can be reached
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More than 60 departures have been cancelled this week already due to an aircraft technician strike. On Wednesday, Norwegian Air Shuttle and Widerøe cancelled 24 flights. Norwegian Air Shuttle announced that several trips on Thursday would be cancelled.
The following Norwegian Air Shuttle flights scheduled to depart Thursday, and their return legs, have been cancelled:
- Oslo-London
- Oslo-Copenhagen
- Oslo-Mallorca
- Oslo-Krakow
- Oslo-Stockholm
- Oslo-London
Norwegian Air Shuttle said that most passengers who had their flights cancelled had been rebooked to fly on the same day.
"Most people get to travel during tomorrow, and then there are some who may end up with a couple of days delay. The Syden (catchall term for popular holiday destinations) planes are very full now, that is where the challenge will be greatest," communications director for Norwegian Air Shuttle, Esben Tuman, told newswire NTB.
The following flights from Widerøe have also been cancelled on Thursday:
- Sandefjord-Stavanger
- Stavanger-Aberdeen
- Aberdeen-Stavanger
- Stavanger-Sandefjord
The Norwegian Air Traffic Technician Organisation (NFO) currently has 106 workers out on strike. The organisation could take out 39 more staff on Friday if an agreement isn't reached.
READ ALSO: Norwegian airports not concerned over summer queuing
Travellers are advised to contact the airline they are meant to be flying with directly if their flight is delayed or cancelled. You can check scheduled departures out of Norwegian airports here.
Widerøe, on Tuesday, urged travellers not to contact them unless their flight has been cancelled, disrupted, or they are unhappy with the alternative travel arrangements that had been offered to them.
"If you have not heard anything from us, then you can be sure that your trip is still planned and carried out and behave in the usual way when you go out and travel," a press officer for the airline told NRK.
Issues with flight cancellations could worsen at the beginning of next week as employer organisation the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO) has announced a lockout which will start on Sunday if a solution to the current aircraft maintenance staff strike isn't reached.
A lockout will mean all air technicians, even those not on strike, will be prevented from going to work to try and force an agreement.
Lockouts are initiated by employers, in contrast to a strike in which employees refuse to work.
Widerøe has warned that a possible lockout will result in most flights being cancelled.
"There is no doubt that if a lockout becomes a fact, it will not take long before most of our planes are on the ground," press manager for Widerøe, Cathrinia Solli, told newswire NTB.
SAS told newspaper VG that it was mapping out possible cancellations in case of a lockout.
Technicians for the air ambulance services will be affected by the lockout, broadcaster TV2 reports. However, NFO is in talks to have air ambulance staff excluded from the lockout.
READ MORE: Lockout for aircraft technicians announced unless wage agreement can be reached
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