Salzburg fights on

Last day: sensors take over aviation weather service

There are now no longer any weather observers stationed in the tower.

(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

Last day for the aviation weather service at Salzburg Airport: protests from Salzburg against the relocation were not heard by the Ministry of Transport. The vida trade union will take legal action. Experts fear massive losses in the fully automated forecasts.

The last weather observer is on duty in the tower at Salzburg Airport today, Sunday, until 11 pm. Then it's over. Sensors, cameras and colleagues from afar will take over. A lot of knowledge about local weather conditions is lost.

It's an important safety issue. In Salzburg in particular, we need the experts on site due to the special topography.

Sabine Klausner, SPÖ-Landtagsabgeordnete

"If you need it particularly badly, the technology won't work. How can a thunderstorm be assessed if heavy rain completely displaces sensors?" asks Matthias Promegger, a retired air traffic controller. Due to the very special geography with the Untersberg in the background, pilots in Salzburg cannot land fully automatically. They are dependent on a detailed weather forecast.

Protest from Salzburg has not yet been heard in Vienna
Salzburg has been fighting against the impending relocation for years. There have been state parliament resolutions, parliamentary questions and all-party motions. The SPÖ member of parliament Sabine Klausner has now followed up with a parliamentary question. The trade union vida even wants to sue. Criticism has also come from the office of Provincial Councillor Stefan Schnöll (ÖVP). But the Ministry of Transport stuck to its guns: five colleagues are relocating. The airport now wants to keep a close eye on whether there is a loss of quality.

Possible scenario: aircraft could have to make more holding patterns or be diverted if the weather is unsafe.