Iceland air traffic controllers strike disrupts flights
Iceland's air traffic controllers have begun strike action, disrupting flights at Reykjavík and Keflavík airports. The labor dispute centers on wage demands with four more strikes planned in coming days. Airlines are canceling and rescheduling flights as negotiations remain stalled.
Iceland faces major flight disruptions as air traffic controllers begin striking tonight. The first of five planned walkouts starts at 10 PM and lasts until 3 AM, affecting both Reykjavík and Keflavík airports.
Airlines have already canceled or rescheduled flights. More strikes are scheduled over the coming days, but no negotiations have been called to resolve the dispute.
Pétur Óskarsson, chairman of the Icelandic Travel Industry Association, expressed deep disappointment. He said in a statement that it's frustrating when a small group can disrupt the entire tourism sector.
"This doesn't look good," Pétur stated. "It was just recently they were taking similar actions and caused substantial damage."
He described the current year as challenging for tourism, with various pressures testing the industry. Adding human-made disruptions on top of existing challenges creates a difficult situation.
The strike comes during peak travel season, potentially affecting thousands of passengers. Both domestic and international flights face disruptions across Iceland's main airports.
Air traffic controllers are demanding higher wages beyond what export sector agreements allow. The standoff shows no signs of immediate resolution as both sides remain firm in their positions.
Tourism accounts for a substantial portion of Iceland's economy. Repeated labor disputes in essential services risk damaging the country's reputation as a reliable destination.
What happens next depends on whether mediators can bring both parties back to negotiations before further strikes occur.