Cairo Airport passengers stuck in limbo on day after cabin crew strike
Cairo Airport sees angry scenes among stranded passengers following a 12-hour strike by EgyptAir cabin crew members that authorities were notified would occur weeks in advance
Ahram Online, Saturday 8 Sep 2012
Thousands of airline passengers whose flights have been delayed are gathered at Cairo airport after a 12-hour flight hiatus caused by the strike of EgyptAir's cabin crew members. Some, whose Friday flights were put off, have spent the night at the airport.
Passengers who arrived at the airport Saturday morning to catch their Kuwait-bound flight were told by airport employees that their plane was already full and had to depart with passengers who had to spend the night at the airport when their flights were delayed. Now the Saturday passengers have to wait for the private airplanes EgyptAir employees said the company has rented in order to recover from the delays.
EgyptAir had already rented private airplanes to cover six flights Friday and hired cabin crew members from private companies to serve the flights.
The airline company cancelled all international flights departing Cairo between 4am and 4pm Friday after EgyptAir staff of air hostesses and stewards stopped work Friday morning to demand better working conditions and insurance, as well as an increase in staff numbers.
Negotiations between cabin crew members and authorities that took place Friday during the strike, mediated by the presidential legal consultant, were also attended by the minister of tourism, and the CEO of Egypt Air holding company, which cabin crew members have accused of causing the delay in realising their demands.
