IN light of the mass exodus of air traffic controllers across Spain, the central government has agreed to bring in substitutes from outside the country's airline governing body, AENA.

The original plan was to draft in members of the military, but air traffic controllers claimed soldiers would not know how to do their job.

They have now said they think bringing in private air traffic controllers from outside AENA is a 'political measure' and that they should have used 'more in-house personnel' to cover the sick-leave.

Almost a third of air traffic controllers are off sick in Alicante, and some 47 were off in Barcelona last week.

Minister José Blanco believes the mass sick-leave is a clandestine strike over long hours and shifts and to push for early retirement for air traffic controllers aged 57 or over, something their unions deny.

Bringing in extra staff is hoped to cut the massive delays affecting flights all over the country, including 72 in Alicante last weekend.