newswatcher
3rd May 2001, 15:35
Associated Press reports:
"Beirut airport was expected to come to a standstill Thursday as employees of Lebanon's national carrier, Middle East Airlines, went on a 24-hour strike to protest planned layoffs.
An airport official said that while planes of other airlines could land at Beirut because air traffic controllers were not striking, there would be no ground staff to receive passengers, unload luggage or refuel aircraft.
Some 27 other airlines have flights scheduled to or from Beirut on Thursday, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The strike was due to start at midnight local time (2200 GMT) Wednesday.
Middle East Airlines pilots and ground staff declared the industrial action to protest plans reported in the press that the company was going to lay off 1,200-1400 employees -- nearly a third of the personnel.
Lebanese newspapers reported last week that the airline's management had drawn up a list of the employees who would be offered voluntary redundancy or early retirement.
Minister of Public Works and Transport Najib Mikati said he had not seen the redundancy list that was reportedly sent to the governor of the Central Bank. The bank acquired a 99 percent stake in the airline in 1996 and has spent hundreds of millions of dollars to keep the company afloat.
The airline is a prime candidate for restructuring as part of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's drive to revive the economy. Middle East Airlines has 4,100 workers for a mere nine planes, all of which are leased from other airlines.
Last month Mikati said the government was not willing to spend more money on the airline and wants to sell it by the end of the year."
"Beirut airport was expected to come to a standstill Thursday as employees of Lebanon's national carrier, Middle East Airlines, went on a 24-hour strike to protest planned layoffs.
An airport official said that while planes of other airlines could land at Beirut because air traffic controllers were not striking, there would be no ground staff to receive passengers, unload luggage or refuel aircraft.
Some 27 other airlines have flights scheduled to or from Beirut on Thursday, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The strike was due to start at midnight local time (2200 GMT) Wednesday.
Middle East Airlines pilots and ground staff declared the industrial action to protest plans reported in the press that the company was going to lay off 1,200-1400 employees -- nearly a third of the personnel.
Lebanese newspapers reported last week that the airline's management had drawn up a list of the employees who would be offered voluntary redundancy or early retirement.
Minister of Public Works and Transport Najib Mikati said he had not seen the redundancy list that was reportedly sent to the governor of the Central Bank. The bank acquired a 99 percent stake in the airline in 1996 and has spent hundreds of millions of dollars to keep the company afloat.
The airline is a prime candidate for restructuring as part of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's drive to revive the economy. Middle East Airlines has 4,100 workers for a mere nine planes, all of which are leased from other airlines.
Last month Mikati said the government was not willing to spend more money on the airline and wants to sell it by the end of the year."