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The Irish Aviation Authority regrets to advise of further unofficial disruptive action by Air Traffic Controllers at both Shannon air traffic control centre and Cork Airport. The action at Shannon air traffic control centre takes place between 18:00 and 22:00 hours this evening and, at Cork Airport, between midnight tonight and 08:00 hours on Friday, 15 February.

This will cause major disruption to airlines and the travelling public as the Authority, for safety reasons, has to restrict services. As a result, there will be a reduced flight movement rate in Shannon airspace between 18:00 and 22:00 hours. Significant delays are expected during these times to flights operating into and out of Shannon, Dublin and Cork airports as well as regional airports. Services should return to normal by 22:00 hours tonight.

In Cork, it is anticipated that 11 early morning flights (15 February) will be affected. The Authority expects normal services to resume at 08:00 hours tomorrow. Intending passengers are advised to contact their airline for further information.

This unofficial action is taking place notwithstanding a notification from IMPACT Trade Union on Tuesday of this week that their members were prepared to take official industrial action, including a ban on overtime effective not before 26 February 2008. The present unofficial disruption is orchestrated by controllers to ensure that the Authority is short of staff and for safety reasons the Authority has to restrict traffic and reduce or close services. Air Traffic Controllers are demanding significantly enhanced extra attendance payments and changes to roster attendances both of which are included in a package of issues under discussion as part of a process at the Labour Relations Commission.

Further talks are scheduled to take place on 19 February between the Authority and IMPACT, the controllers' union, in an attempt to find a resolution to this dispute.