Flights disrupted across Europe on Wednesday as air traffic controllers in 11 countries striking

12 June 2013

South African officials of the International Relations Department were unable to leave Belgium on Wednesday because a strike by air traffic controllers disrupted flights across Europe.

The South African diplomats are in Europe this week with Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane for trade and political talks.

They were scheduled to leave Belgium's capital, Brussels, at 11am on Wednesday and head to Helsinki, Finland.

Mashabane was due to participate in the 13th African and Nordic foreign ministers meeting in Finland on 15 and 16 June.

The Irish Independent reported that flights were expected to be disrupted across Europe on Wednesday as air traffic controllers in 11 countries were striking against the European Union's plans to centralise control of Europe's air space.