The strike by French air traffic controllers, supported by colleagues in reece, Portugal and Italy, which brought European aviation to a virtual standstill esterday, evoked little fraternal empathy in Ireland.
The Irish Aviation Authority was not overtly concerned that the industrial action led by the French air traffic controllers would be replicated here.
"Our controllers are not striking, "a spokeswoman for the IAA said, confidently. "We're not concerned. The industrial unrest may indeed run over the summer. We'll just have to wait and see."
Even more significantly, this view was shared by IMPACT, which represents the Republic's 300 or so air traffic controllers, who regard the French action as "premature" and even "counter-productive".
IMPACT, which has just emerged unbloodied from a major dispute involving pilots at Aer Lingus, is resoundingly "dovish" on the issue of a Single Sky over Europe.
And this is despite the fact that Irish air traffic controllers are affiliated to the 10,000-member ATCEUC, the Aix-en-Provence based umbrella group of air traffic controllers that includes unions from France, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain, as well as Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Slovenia and Switzerland, outside the EU.
A key reason for the sanguine reaction from both management and union is a "continuity of service" agreement brokered by the Labour Relations Commission a few years ago, in line with the code of practice on disputes in essential public services.
This lays down clearly the procedural steps to be taken in any industrial dispute and in general is strictly adhered to by both union and management.
The Single Sky policy "raises issues for us", IMPACT's assistant general secretary, Mr Michael Landers, conceded yesterday. These were issues such as job security for Irish workers: "Irish air traffic controllers may be working for different employers."
But with the vast majority of trans-Atlantic European flights - up to 70 per cent - passing through Irish airspace, a Single Sky regime as planned by Brussels does have its attractions.
"It's a medium to long-term issue," said Mr Landers, "one that must be thoroughly thrashed out with the IAA and at EU Commission level." He is confident it will be resolved by negotiation and agreement.
At present there are about 27 national control authorities across Europe, said the IMPACT official, with up to 40 air traffic control centres.
In general industrial relations in air traffic control have been very good in the Republic, said Mr Landers: "We don't have technical/operational difficulties - not like Spain."