Morocco’s Unified National Bureau of Air Traffic Controllers, a representative body of air traffic controllers in Morocco, issued a notice restricting the number of air traffic movements in FIR/UIR Casablanca.
The “social movement”, which will span for a 15-day period, starts on August 3, 2022.
According to a press statement released by the union, and published by Newsaero, the restrictions placed on air traffic movements will follow certain “modalities”.
This includes:
- The acceptance of only one air traffic every 30 minutes per FIR/UIR entry point across all flight levels including in Agadir and Casablanca.
- Only one hour is permitted between two departures from Marrakech and Agadir.
- Only one hour is permitted between two departures in Casablanca and in the northern, southern, and eastern sectors of Morocco.
The restrictions will not apply to state flights, sanitary flights, flights in emergency situations and national military flights, the statement continued.
The Union was motivated to implement the restrictions as they seek reform, rehabilitation and further recognition to the air traffic controller profession, which is currently facing staffing issues, Newsaero added.
The Union is urging its management to reconsider its policy and investment in relation to air traffic controllers, Newsaero continued.
Wider ATC turmoil across 17 African countries
According to a report by Alwihda, a similar strike notice was filed by the Union of Air Traffic Controllers Unions of the Agency for Air Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (USYCAA).
This USYCAA notice will go into effect from August 25, 2022 from 8 a.m. UT and will span a two-day period. This will be followed by further strike action for an indefinite period until the union’s claims are met, according to a press statement published by Newsaero.
“This call to strike is motivated by the abusive, arrogant and threatening approach of the general management, which refuses to engage in any dialogue with the USYCAA,” the statement continued
Legally registered in Côte d’Ivoire, the USYCAA represents 18 member states, including 17 African countries across 16.1 million square kilometers of airspace.
The Agency’s members states are comprised of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Union of Comoros, Congo, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Chad, Togo and France, according to ASECNA’s website.