{"id":5563,"date":"2018-09-05T06:43:12","date_gmt":"2018-09-05T10:43:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/?p=5563"},"modified":"2020-05-07T12:37:13","modified_gmt":"2020-05-07T16:37:13","slug":"ethiopian-atc-strike-over","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/ethiopian-atc-strike-over\/","title":{"rendered":"ATC Strike over, but nine Ethiopian Air Traffic Controllers remain in jail"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-5537\" src=\"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Ethiopia-FIR-Map-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Ethiopia-FIR-Map-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Ethiopia-FIR-Map-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Ethiopia-FIR-Map-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Ethiopia-FIR-Map-676x451.jpg 676w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><strong>5th September, update:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As of this morning, most controllers have <strong>returned to work<\/strong>. Some concessions made by ECAA. Addis ACC and TWR are again staffed with qualified controllers, so the safety situation, for now, is restored. However, 9 remain in jail. Returning controllers were forced to sign an &#8216;admission&#8217; of illegal strike action in return for amnesty. IATA In Flight Broadcast Procedure requirement for Addis FIR remains in place, meaning you must broadcast on 126.9 as in other areas of concern in Africa. Further as we get it.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>4th September:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Last week we were one of the first to expose <a href=\"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/ethiopia-risking-flight-safety-to-cover-up-atc-strike\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">the attempted ATC Strike cover up<\/a> by the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority.<\/p>\n<p>As a reminder, <strong>untrained and uncertified foreign controllers, retired and local non-operational ATC personnel are being used to control air traffic over Ethiopia.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It is\u00a0a catastrophic misjudgement, creating a safety risk in the Addis FIR and at Ethiopian Airports for pilots and passengers alike.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-5568\" src=\"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Screen-Shot-2018-09-04-at-11.48.30-300x296.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"296\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Screen-Shot-2018-09-04-at-11.48.30-300x296.png 300w, https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Screen-Shot-2018-09-04-at-11.48.30.png 403w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>Here are some more updates since our last article:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>On August 29, The International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers Association (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ifatca.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">IFATCA<\/a>) penned a <strong>letter to the Prime Minister<\/strong> of Ethiopia. <a href=\"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/IACTAresponse.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">You can read it here.<\/a><\/li>\n<li>The neighbouring controllers in <strong>Kenya<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.standardmedia.co.ke\/article\/2001294161\/flights-in-and-out-of-addis-ababa-not-safe-air-traffic-controllers-warn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">warned<\/a> that flights in and out of Addis Ababa are not safe. <a href=\"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Kenya-ATC-letter.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">You can view their letter here<\/a> &#8211; specifically they warned that <strong>the \u2018possibility of air misses\u2019 is real.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>The ECAA over the weekend <a href=\"http:\/\/www.xinhuanet.com\/english\/2018-09\/03\/c_137439581.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">rejected concerns regarding the safety of Ethiopian airspace<\/a>, specifically calling the claims from Kenya as <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eturbonews.com\/231781\/safety-over-ethiopian-airspace-a-war-between-skyteam-and-star-alliance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">&#8220;outright lies.&#8221;<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>The ECAA has said that ATC are operating\u00a0<em>&#8220;in accordance with ICAO Annex 1 provisions.&#8221;\u00a0<\/em>They <strong>did not deny<\/strong> however that foreign and retired ATC are being used.<\/li>\n<li><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-5573 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Screen-Shot-2018-09-04-at-12.21.42-247x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"247\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Screen-Shot-2018-09-04-at-12.21.42-247x300.png 247w, https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Screen-Shot-2018-09-04-at-12.21.42-768x932.png 768w, https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Screen-Shot-2018-09-04-at-12.21.42-844x1024.png 844w, https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Screen-Shot-2018-09-04-at-12.21.42-676x821.png 676w, https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Screen-Shot-2018-09-04-at-12.21.42.png 958w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 247px) 100vw, 247px\" \/>The ECAA also outlined that the national carrier,\u00a0<strong>Ethiopian Airlines<\/strong>, has &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/www.ecaa.gov.et\/?hc_ref=ARR66BQUbaDhqgvJ9YlSCM-Zp40Uo3z3fu0PGuW9m1B8aIRaewZ2z5q3ngGbPUDt4eA&amp;fref=nf&amp;__xts__[0]=68.ARDx7zIv1fOvmgmWLt_jdgB3omHyXQzBgXKPFEv45m2u-L9t6aTmxaM4c3j91tyIda4RdTMIZpDbYLxjAt-i8wlT-EeRMH5bYvkbg0xmsBUOnFP4gVzRgxPMtIywxkBDQf8aCJ3M7nPL5KSVF3bQhD2erJg2sUEc8Pnbv1G0vuPVEWAhq9vrvw&amp;__tn__=kC-R\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">awarded<\/a>&#8221;\u00a0<strong>veteran<\/strong> Air Traffic Controllers,\u00a0 who are performing their <strong>&#8220;<em>national obligation.<\/em>&#8220;<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>However on Monday,\u00a0the local state affiliated broadcaster,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/fanabc.com\/english\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Fana BC<\/a>, reported that the Federal Police Commission had detained <strong>nine<\/strong> individuals on <strong>suspicion<\/strong> of attempting to disrupt international flights and <strong>coordinating a strike<\/strong> that began last week. This has been <a href=\"http:\/\/www.africanews.com\/2018\/09\/04\/ethiopians-condemn-arrest-of-strike-organisers-that-caused-flight-disruption\/\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">quickly condemned on social media<\/a>, as many locals called on the government to resolve the issues raised by the ATCs rather than resorting to intimidation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The ECAA claims that &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.eturbonews.com\/231781\/safety-over-ethiopian-airspace-a-war-between-skyteam-and-star-alliance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">some<\/a>&#8221; of the striking controllers have returned to work.<\/p>\n<p>Major airlines and uninformed passengers continue to fly into and over Ethiopia and <strong>this continues to be a major safety risk.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Do you have more to add this story?\u00a0 Please,\u00a0<strong><a href=\"mailto:team@flightservice.org\">let us know<\/a><\/strong>!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>5th September, update: As of this morning, most controllers have returned to work. Some concessions&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":48,"featured_media":5566,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,319,876],"tags":[296,89,503,615,1261],"class_list":{"0":"post-5563","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-briefings","8":"category-news-item","9":"category-safe-airspace","10":"tag-atc","11":"tag-atc-strike","12":"tag-ecaa","13":"tag-ethiopia","14":"tag-ethiopian-airlines"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5563","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/48"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5563"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5563\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9705,"href":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5563\/revisions\/9705"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5566"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5563"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5563"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5563"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}