Summer travel to Europe too may not come easy for UAE, Gulf residents as EU airports struggle

Summer travel to Europe too may not come easy for UAE, Gulf residents as EU airports struggle

Dubai: Summer travel to Europe may not be such a smooth affair for UAE and Gulf travellers, with major airport hubs not expected to get their acts together in time for the peak season. In fact, fliers may have to wait until the Christmas and New Year period for some resolution to the issue. European airports need more coordination and need to keep recruiting more to come close to meeting the demand that exists on routes into and out of the continent, according to Kamil Al Awadhi, IATA Regional Vice-President for Africa and the Middle East. Getting new recruits up to speed is the difficult part. It takes three to nine months to qualify new ground staff and obtain necessary security clearances, the IATA official added. “The (European) airports’ complacency hampered the aviation industry.” Staffing isn’t the only problem rife with these hubs. Airport staff have gone on strike in Germany, and France too has seen its share of disruptions. This meant airlines in the Gulf and elsewhere had to make last-minute cancellations of flights. More walkouts are planned at airports in Italy, Germany, France, the UK, Scotland and Spain. Al Awadhi warned that if hubs in Europe do not