Cyprus Airways Pilots Announce Snap Strike

March 10, 2006
Cyprus Airways pilots announced a surprise 24-hour strike starting midnight Friday (2200GMT) to protest a restructuring plan for the ailing state airline.

Cyprus Airways pilots announced a surprise 24-hour strike starting midnight Friday (2200GMT) to protest a restructuring plan for the ailing state airline.

The pilots offered to hold emergency talks late Friday with management and it was not immediately clear if the strike would go ahead.

If it does, the strike is expected to affect more than a dozen outbound flights, including six to Britain and four to Greece.

Incoming flights will operate as scheduled, said the pilots union.

Cyprus Airways Chairman Lazaros Savvides criticized the surprise move.

"It's a completely wrong decision," he said. "It will cause hardship to the company and passengers."

The pilots union, which approved the rescue plan in January, accused Cyprus Airways of backtracking on an agreement over salaries. The airline's four other unions have approved the plan.

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