Hi Blue5,
I'm not in Spain, but I try to follow the news closely (and not just the mainstream media). For what I understand the managers may be aware there is such things as sector capacities and restrictions. I'm just not sure they "understand" what they mean. Take as an example the first weekend after the royal decree was in place (6&7 feb). In Madrid ACC managers wanted to open 10 sectors to avoid generating delays. They only had staff to open 6. High tension in the ops-room and, rumours have it, the end result was menaces from management to the Centre Supervisor of starting an investigation against him (which, according to the new "law" it may mean suspension from pay UNTIL INVESTIGATION IS FINISHED and even getting FIRED...of course it is AENA the one who investigates, so they can take as long as they like if they delay it). I don't know if these managers know even maths. It looks pretty simple to me. Not enough people, can't open.
Also rumours have it that this, mixed with similar situations at Madrid tower, is an attempt from AENA to take hostages in the face of the new negotiations between agency and staff. BTW, since I mention, imagine the chaos in Madrid Barajas, since managers now pop up and say "you know what? Let's chg rwy config!" whenever they feel like (forget wind,WX or TFC picture...who cares about that stuff?). Just because they figured, on paper, this or that configuration provides more capacity... 8o
ANIMO COMPA~NEROS!!!
Slds,
A.