Military in charge of Spanish air space

Madrid, Spain (CNN) -- The Spanish government put the military in control of air space late Friday to get commercial jets flying again after a surprise air traffic controller strike stranded tens of thousands of travelers, the deputy prime minister announced. "The prime minister has signed an order giving the Ministry of Defense control of air space in the whole nation until there are guarantees that (civilian) air traffic controllers will provide normal service," Deputy Prime Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba announced in a nationally televised statement. He said the measure was taken because of the "extraordinary circumstance of the closure of air space, provoked by the air traffic controllers" and added the government is acting in accord with "the Constitution and existing legislation." Many of the stranded passengers sent twitters or called in to newsrooms describing how they were stuck on planes on airport tarmacs. This included families with young children trying to set off on a vacation over the long holiday that continues in Spain through next Wednesday. CNN affiliate CNN+ reported that military officers had moved to take control at towers at 10 airports before midnight. There are about 47 airports in Spain. The months-long dispute between the government and the air traffic controllers over conditions and pay reached a climax around 5 p.m. (11 a.m. ET) on Friday when controllers at airports in Madrid and Spain's Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean walked off en masse. Just a few remained to guide a some remaining planes in the air toward safe landings, officials said.

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