Strike affects operations at Geneva Airport

The strike by employees of the ground handling company Dnata caused delays to the first flights at Geneva Airport early on Sunday morning. Dnata is involved in 85 flights on Sunday, as Geneva Airport announced on request.

The airport is expecting 52,000 passengers for Sunday. They should expect some inconvenience, an airport spokesperson said. © Keystone / Martial Trezzini

A spokesperson for the airport told the Keystone-SDA news agency in response to an enquiry.

Three flights were delayed. Two intercontinental flights to Geneva may have to be diverted to other airports, the airport spokesperson wrote in a statement.

The airport is expecting 52,000 passengers for Sunday. They should expect some inconvenience, it said.

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The airport management advised passengers to enquire directly with the airline whether their flights are affected by the strike. Geneva Airport is not directly involved in the conflict, the spokesperson emphasised. The airport staff are endeavouring to ensure operations and limit disruption.

80 people on strike

Due to disagreements over wages and compensation, part of the Dnata workforce walked off the job early on Sunday morning. Shortly before 4:30am, around 80 employees gathered at the airport’s kiss-and-fly car park, VPOD union secretary Jamshid Pouranpir told Swiss news agency, Keystone-SDA.

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It was not known how long the strike will last. The further course of the strike will be decided in the course of the strike meetings, it was said on Saturday evening.

More pay and bonuses

The union had already threatened to strike at the beginning of the week. Pouranpir announced on Friday evening that the workforce had rejected the management’s proposals by a large majority. Accordingly, the company wants to increase wages by 3%. The union had demanded a 5% wage increase as well as bonuses depending on the severity of the work.

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Dnata employs around 600 people at Geneva Airport. Among other things, they issue tickets and transport passengers and baggage on the ground.

The company also provides services at Zurich Airport. However, there was no walkout on Sunday, as the airport confirmed on request.

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