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Europe's Y2k 'blacklist'
Lack of demand has brought down the number of New Year flights |
The millennium bug could make 10 European countries too dangerous to fly to at New Year, campaigners have warned.
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But the UK Government has dismissed the group's claims, saying the international aviation industry would be Y2k compliant by New Year and services would be operating normally.
Robin Guenier, executive director of Taskforce 2000, accused the government of holding back vital information about bug readiness in other countries.
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Mr Guenier said: "With only two months to go, you'd think it would be easy to get clear, detailed information about which countries are ready and which are not. It isn't.
"The only useful information we have found was on this US government website, which indicates that things are very bad.
"Major countries such as Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland have yet to finish a job that should have been completed months ago."
On track
But the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, which is responsible for checking millennium status of foreign airports, said Taskforce 2000 was scaremongering.
"The same American website that Taskforce 2000 has used for these figures also states that it expects little worse than isolated service delays or diversions for air passengers," said a spokeswoman.
"The emerging global view is that the international aviation industry is on track for compliance, and that services will operate normally."
The department will make a final review at the end of the month.
There are expected to be much fewer flights than normal over the millennium weekend due to lack of demand, the spokeswoman added.
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See also: |
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08 Sep 99 | Sci/Tech |
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Millennium bug: 'Last chance' warning |
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01 Nov 99 | UK Politics |
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Every home to get Y2K advice |
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21 Aug 99 | Business |
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Bosses warned of millennium legal threat |
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03 Nov 99 | South Asia |
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No Bangladeshi planes over millennium |
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Internet links: |
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UK Government's Year 2000 team |
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Taskforce 2000 |
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