ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia's Civil Aviation Authority on Sunday rejected concerns regarding the safety of Ethiopian airspace following a strike of Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) in Ethiopia.
Kenyan Air Traffic Controllers Association has raised safety concerns following the strike by staff from the Ethiopian air controllers, saying that "aircraft operating in and out of Addis Ababa are in grave danger as the situation continues to deteriorate."
The Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority, in a press statement on Sunday, said that it "fully and categorically rejects the false and baseless statements circulated by the Kenyan Air Traffic Controllers Association in their circular of 30 August 2018 regarding the safety of Ethiopian airspace following the illegal strike of Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) in Ethiopia."
The Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority said "the Area Control Center (ACC) in Addis Ababa is being manned by adequate number of well-trained, highly capable instructors and professionals."
The approach and aerodrome positions are also manned with professionals possessing all the qualifications, the statement said.
"With regard to the specific false statements and outright lies contained in the circular of the Kenyan Air Traffic Controllers Association, these can be easily verified as all ATC activities and communications are recorded and protected," the statement added.
A similar strike by Ethiopian air traffic controllers in April led to the suspension of scores of flights in and out of the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, one of Africa's busiest airports.
