Airlines Cancel Flights to Budapest Because of Ground Crew Strike

April 6, 2007
The striking workers are seeking a 10-percent salary increase.

Four international carriers canceled or diverted all their flights to and from Budapest airport Friday because of a two-day strike by ground crew.

Lufthansa, British Airways, Alitalia and easyJet on Friday cleared their schedules, and other carriers were expected to make decisions later, airport spokesman Domokos Szollar said.

Hungary's national carrier, Malev, as well as Czech Airlines, Iberia and SkyEurope should be unaffected because they employ their own ground personnel, he said.

The striking workers are seeking a 10-percent salary increase.

The strike, which began at 2:30 p.m. (1230GMT) Thursday, could affect a total of some 160 flights over Easter weekend, Szollar said earlier.

Flights operated by the affected airlines represent about one-third of all air traffic at the airport.

Szollar said passengers will also notice a slowdown at check-in counters, baggage claims and when boarding aircraft.

British Airways said some flights would be diverted to the Austrian capital, Vienna, with passengers bussed to and from Budapest - about a three-hour journey.

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