By Markus Stromeyer
The Austrian Airlines boss appeared for only a few minutes Annette Mann to the media on Thursday. Behind her is a screen with a symbolic image of an AUA aircraft taking off. Deutsch did not respond to reporters' questions. With a picture of a red-white-and-red plane in the background, his message was even clearer: “Today is not a good day for the AUA,” he commented on the midnight flight. 36-hour strike of ground staff.
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The airline's board of directors apologized to taxpayers, whose money would have ensured the company's survival during the coronavirus and saved thousands of jobs. 50,000 passengers have been affected by the strike. “We tried to keep the impact as low as possible.”
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400 flights have been canceled due to this Mandy Thursday And Holy Friday At this time the aircraft's tubes will light up. Mann spoke of a 20-fold increase in call volume and associated long wait times. Most passengers should have at least found out their flight was canceled in good time. Despite the conditions, the crowd in front of the AUA information desk was sparse on Thursday.
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“My flight to Tirana had to turn back yesterday due to weather. “When we came back after midnight (the strike started at midnight, mind you), all hell broke loose,” he said. Holidaymaker Moritz, which was recorded again after a night in an airport hotel. “My vacation is a few days short, but what's the point of getting angry.”
There is no agreement in view
However, it will be annoying next week AUA-Management. Jupiter has him Works Council Another one work meeting declared. “This new operational disruption will cost the company five to ten million euros,” explained a spokesperson. Exact amount cannot be given as no end date is mentioned and the date after that is not mentioned A warning strike is conceivable Be. So far this year, the AUA has been formed through strikes and work meetings Damage Van 24 million euros.
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The example of a father of a family who waited at the AUA counter on Thursday shows that the current situation is affecting the company not only financially but also its image. Daniel: “We wanted to fly to Valencia for lunch with our daughter. The replacement flight doesn't leave Frankfurt until midnight.” They didn't want to go through these hardships with a baby, which is why they canceled their vacation: “It would have been the little one's first flight, of course we think. Shame.”
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Austrian Airlines operates nine long-haul aircraft (Boeing 767 & 777) and 57 short- and medium-haul aircraft (Airbus A320 Family and Embraer 195). Additional Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners are scheduled to enter service in the summer
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AUA employs a total of nearly 6,000 people, of whom 3,500 are flight attendants
220 flights per day
Thus controversial – if not a strike
According to the AUA, such inconvenience should be avoided next week. There is an exchange with the group to identify those who do not want to participate in the tasks meeting. There are reports employeesWho does this? ready will be operation as much as possible to maintain.
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New Negotiations By then it will be clear Not planned. “We were looking forward to the opportunity to talk,” Vida's chief trade unionist said Roman Hebenstreit After the strike started. In recent days, the union has suggested alternatives to a “both arms outstretched” contract. Employees want wages to be adjusted to match those of parent company Lufthansa and are demanding a 30 to 40 percent increase.
Airlines boss Mann said: “After the hard development work of the last few years, we will build our AUA through unrealistic demands. Don't let it break.” The fact that the start of the strike coincided with the payment of performance bonuses to employees may also have caused internal irritation. Overall, the airline is said to be shedding water this year 30 million euros For employees.
