Spanish unions warn of threat to aviation safety with austerity short cuts

THE Spanish government's economic cuts are having serious knock-on effects across the country affecting aviation safety, according to labour unions, reports Russia Today (RT News), the old Soviet Novosti news agency.

The financial crisis has seen Spanish consumers turn their backs on the country's airlines, opting for budget carriers such as EasyJet and Ryanair. Low-cost airlines now account for 57 per cent of national air traffic.

But in the struggle to compete, airlines have been forced to slash expenses that could impact on passenger safety, said the report.

"If we go over the limit here, then the problem of stressed and fatigued personnel arises. For example, the law says there must be 45-minute breaks between flights, but in reality, it's barely 20 minutes. Security is being damaged and we are allowing it to happen," said Pilots' Labour Union official Francisco Pinies.

Antonio Lora Mateo, of the Aircraft Maintenance Workers' Union, said a 20-minute gap between flights was simply not enough to conduct all the necessary safety checks.

"At times pilots are forced to take off without security checks," he said.

The growth of the budget airline phenomenon has forced many mainstream airlines into bankruptcy.

Spain's principal airline Iberia reported a loss of almost EUR300 million (US$368.7 million) during the first half. As a result the national flag carrier is planning to cut back on wages and staff.

Parliament has approved an austerity package aimed at cutting EUR65 billion of state budgets by 2015.

The Spanish Workers' Union called on King Juan Carlos to appeal for a referendum on the austerity cut that they have branded as "suicidal."

"The policy of severe cuts in the public sector and calls for structural reforms which aim to reduce Spanish deficit are suicide," said workers' commission secretary general Ignacio Fernandez Toxo.