Swiss controllers to hold 1 minute tribute

Geneva, 4 March 2004 The burial of the murdered skyguide air traffic controller will take place on Friday, 5 March. At the initiative of and coordinated by the national and international air traffic controllers’ organizations, a symbolic action will be held at this time in several countries in memory of the air traffic controller, the victims of the Überlingen tragedy and as a token of sympathy with their families.
In Switzerland, at the initiative of the three air traffic controllers’ associations Aerocontrol, APTC and Skycontrol, no aircraft will take off for one minute from the airports in Zürich, Geneva, Lugano and Bern. This tribute will not cause any noticeable delays. The memorial action only concerns takeoffs but not landings and overflights. Safety will be guaranteed.
The detailed plans are as follows: no slots are available between 13.00 and 13.15. Postponed takeoffs are possible until 13.09. From 13.10 the first advanced takeoffs will be authorized. In other words, there will be no takeoffs for around one minute.