The Kasos Airport, in the middle of summer, closed Yesterday (June 28) morning, due to the illness of the sole employee where works at the airport, who was transported to the local Health Center, according to the Panhellenic Association of Telecommunications of the Aviation Authority (YPA).
As representatives of the association reported in kykladiki.gr, the staff shortages in the sector, due to retirement and transfer of individuals to another sector, have been pointed out many times, both in Ministry of Transport, as well as in administration of the HCAA.
It should be noted that a few days after the accident in Tempi The AFISO Association of Civil Aviation Authority Employees sent a letter to the then new Minister of Infrastructure, George Gerapetritis.
The letter was a catalyst for the barrage of announcements and complaints that employees had sent to the ministry's leadership, warning that this summer «expected to be extremely difficult up to dangerous for airport operations but also the safety of flights and passengers.».
But they were never heard:
«With the your assumption of the ministry Shortly before the elections, we are sharing with you the announcements made by our association's Board of Directors over the last two years, through which we have raised the serious problems of our industry. Two years we are trying to persuade the former political leadership of the ministry that staff shortages and in infrastructure, sometimes can be fatal» reported characteristics and listed the problems who face:
They were not «able to convince them» to get involved, as they emphasize: neither the closure of many airports (Syros, Naxos, Ikaria, Milos, Kastelorizo, Kastoria, Kozani) due to illness sole employee flight information services (AFISO at the Airport Control Tower), nor the employees who work without days off, nor the vacancies in the telecommunications department, citing huge staff shortages at a time when no action has been taken to fill the gaps through transfers or competitions through the ASEP.
They even mentioned that 21 applications had been pending for more than 5 years. candidates with necessary qualifications, Only four have been completed, and five others have been unjustifiably left unfinished. AFISO employees work in exhausting working hours without days off or leave, in violation of all national, EU, and international aviation regulations,» they emphasized.
It should be noted that a few months ago, the President of the Panhellenic Telecommunications Association (FISO) Y.P.A. George Konstantinakis had sounded the alarm for 15 remote islands.
Characteristically, he had stated on RealFm that «We are talking about the 15 small remote airports (Leros, Karpathos, Kalymnos, Kastellorizo, Kythira, Paros, Naxos, Astypalea, Milos, Kastoria, Ikaria, Kozani, etc.). In Paros, in 2022 for the months of June, July, August, and September, there were 1,541 movements per month on average. Naxos had 1,089 movements per month on average for the same period. Karpathos had 562, Milos had 531, and Syros had 468. The staff managing this movement consists of two people. in Paros plus one in the summer, dTwo people in Naxos plus one in the summer, the Karpathos has 3 people, η Milos has one person plus one in the summer, and Syros one person and periodically in the summer it can have two people.».
Finally, George Konstantinakis had stated that «Last year there were 120 of us. and the 9 retired. So this year there are 111 of us. No recruitment has taken place.. Since 2010, when the last recruitment took place, four people were hired in 2022 through internal transfers from the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority. Last August, five transfers were announced, but they have not yet been implemented. There are 16 other transfers that are ready to go but have not been approved by the government.“
The entire letter sent by the Ministry of Infrastructure
In light of the recent tragic train accident, which claimed the lives of so many young people, we would like to express our deepest sorrow and heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, while wishing a speedy recovery to those who were injured.
With you taking over the ministry shortly before the elections, we are sharing with you the announcements made by our association's board of directors over the last two years, in which we have highlighted the serious problems facing our sector.
For two years, we have been trying to convince the former political leadership of the ministry that shortages in personnel and infrastructure can sometimes prove fatal.
Nor did the closure of many airports (Syros, Naxos, Ikaria, Milos, Kastelorizo, Kastoria, Kozani) due to the illness of the ONLY flight information officer (AFISO at the Airport Control Tower), employees working without days off, on standby for 24-hour patient transport, nor the leave of telecommunications department staff (who assist in the work of Air Traffic Control) responsible for sending flight plans, aeronautical messages, Notams, necessary for the safety of flights and passengers, were able to convince them.
Although the huge staff shortages have been acknowledged by the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA) management and the ministry, no action has been taken to fill the vacancies through transfers and competitions organized by the Supreme Council for Civil Personnel Selection (ASEP).
Twenty-one (21) applications from candidates with the necessary qualifications have been pending for more than five (5) years, only four (4) have been completed, and another five (5) have not been completed without justification. AFISO employees work exhausting hours without days off or leave, in violation of all national, EU, and international aviation regulations. This summer is expected to be extremely difficult and even dangerous for airport operations and the safety of flights and passengers.
We will continue to fight for the upgrading of infrastructure at regional and remote airports, the recruitment of a sufficient number of telecommunications/AFISO employees to fill vacant positions, and the restoration of financial injustices against our sector.
