1972: Pilots threaten worldwide strike
Hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers face flight delays and cancellations after pilots threatened to strike over hijack fears.
The International Federation of Air Line Pilots Associations (IFALPA) has called a 24-hour stoppage and accused governments of failing to take action to halt air piracy.
British Air Line Pilots Association spokesman (BALPA), Gordon Hurley, said hijacking was on the increase, and striking was the "only effective way of dealing with it".
"Until governments take the matter seriously and make airports secure and stop this hijacking, this menace, this piracy, this is the only alternative we have," he said.
Three basic demands
BALPA's vice chairman, Jack Linstead, said he was issuing a strike notice reluctantly, but added that it was a reflection of the pilots' strength of feeling on the issue.
The strike ballot had returned "a very clear mandate to take industrial action," he said, adding that there was still time for the dispute to be resolved.
IFALPA wants governments across the world to fulfil three basic demands.
These are: to increase international airport security; to adopt the International Civil Aviation Organisation's convention against air hijacking; and to speed up the pace of ratification of other anti-hijacking conventions.
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