Airspace unprotected

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The sensational reports in the "Krone" newspaper about the complete failure of airspace surveillance at the weekend have now also triggered a parliamentary inquiry. 

Because many military air traffic controllers moved to the better-paying Austro Control, the Eurofighters were unable to fly last weekend. SPÖ defense spokesman Robert Laimer now wants to know more and has submitted a question to ÖVP Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner. Laimer wants to know how many "essential employees" are missing at the Zeltweg site and how high the overtime workload is for the personnel.

Laimer identifies a "systemic problem" that has been caused by years of mismanagement by the ÖVP and inadequate resource planning in the defense department. As is well known, Tanner went on the offensive: due to the shortage of personnel for air traffic controllers, she is demanding that in future she should also be responsible for the pay of soldiers. The Ministry of Civil Service BMKÖS under Werner Kogler is currently responsible.

Retaining staff with special contracts
The minister wants to use special contracts to encourage military air traffic controllers to stay. According to the army, their departure to the better-paying Austro Control is responsible for the fact that the Eurofighters were unable to fly last weekend, as first reported by the "Krone". According to Tanner, air traffic controllers in the civilian sector earn two and a half times as much and only have to work 32 hours a week. In the army, however, they work up to 77 hours overtime per month. 

Tanner once again emphasized that it must be ensured that "this" - i.e. the complete loss of active airspace surveillance because the few remaining air traffic controllers had to reduce their overtime - does not happen again. "I will not accept that either", a clear order to this effect had been issued to the General Staff.