It’s a tough time to be working in the aviation industry. Faced with staff shortages and huge levels of disruption, many workers at airlines and airports are facing long, stressful hours and poor working conditions. And, thanks to the cost of living crisis, loads of them are doing it all for lower wages, too.
Needless to say, it’s no wonder that so many staff at airports and airlines have been going on strike. From Italy and Belgium to Greece and France, airports across Europe have seen thousands of flights delayed and cancelled by industrial action over the past couple of years.
Strikes can, of course, have a serious impact on your holiday, so it’s best to be as informed about them as possible. Read on for our guide to the airlines and airports seeing industrial action in Europe right now, where and when those strikes will happen – and whether you need to worry about them.
Cancellations due to strike action in Brussels
At the time of writing, 34 flights have been cancelled at Charleroi Airport in Brussels on September 21, and another 21 are set to be rescheduled.
The disruption has been happening since September 16 and could continue until October 10 as air traffic controllers strike from 10pm until 8am the following morning in protest of night-shift bonus management.
Since the industrial action began, The Sun reports 160 flights have been cancelled. Passengers are being encouraged to check their flight status directly with their airline.
easyJet cabin crew plan strikes in Portugal
It’s been reported that cabin crew for budget airline easyJet are planning two walkouts in the autumn and winter in Portugal. The first will be between October 2-6 (which coincides with Portugal’s Republic Day celebrations on October 5), the second from December 19-23, clashing with the busy pre-Christmas travel window.
Both rounds of strikes are set to affect operations at Lisbon, Porto and Faro airports, with 500 scheduled flights at risk of being grounded in the October strikes alone.
The strikes come after a meeting of 188 easyJet cabin crew voted unanimously to take action after ‘numerous attempts made … to resolve labour and pay issues’. More specifically, among the issues raised are frequent changes to duty rosters, alleged collective labour agreement breaches, unequal treatment of pilots and cabin crew and, because of staff shortages, pressure to work overtime, according to euronews.
What happens if your airline goes on strike?
If strikes cause your flight to be delayed or cancelled, the airline is usually obliged to help you and/or provide compensation. However, this often depends on the conditions of your airline – some airlines won’t cover strikes out of their control, such as airport or baggage handler strikes. Your compensation also depends on the extent of your travel insurance. These should both be easily accessed on either your airline’s or insurer’s website.
If you book your flight already knowing that a strike is set to take place (ie. it’s already been announced by the union), you are exceptionally unlikely to receive compensation. Before you book, be sure to check for any strike dates not just at your intended airline but also at departure and arrival airports.
Of course, it’s worth bearing in mind that the threat of a strike is exactly that: a threat. Strikes are primarily used as bargaining chips in negotiations between unions and employers, so there’s always the chance that both sides will come to an agreement before one actually takes place.
In any case, if your journey involves any of the above airlines, destinations and dates, be sure to keep an eye on your flight status and prepare for a more disrupted journey than expected.
ICYMI: How to track down lost baggage and get compensation.
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