On Tuesday it became known that Axel Schwarz's contract as managing director of Austro Control will not be extended. Daniel Liebhart, chairman of the aviation department of the union vida, sees a political game behind it.

"As Axel Schwarz's contract was not extended, Austro Control is losing years of aviation-specific know-how at the top management level", Liebhart criticizes the decision of the Climate Protection Ministry, the owner of Austro Control. With the replacement, Liebhart would like a personality from the ranks of Austro Control. “The company has had a glaring shortage of staff for years, which it has not been able to remedy to this day. Trying to solve this mismanagement with a crowbar has regularly caused tension in the past in the social partnership, ”says Liebhart, chairman of the department.

Appointing someone who knows this problem would be a clever move. Unfortunately, however, there is nothing to indicate that the federal government is striving for this, Liebhart continues. If rumors are to be believed, the die should have been cast long ago for the replacement. "The current managing director, Schwarz, has to vacate his chair to make room for a former employee of a high-ranking ÖVP personality," fears Liebhart. The choice falls on a person who has gained initial experience in aviation in the past two years and is therefore anything but an expert on the industry. "The party-political power games are to be ended and the replacement with an actual expert from a European air traffic control instead of party soldiers is to be initiated," concludes Liebhart.