Airport worker strikes in the U.K., Italy, and Spain could disrupt European travel through Christmas. Here’s where delays are expected and what travelers should do.
Travelers bound for Europe this holiday season could be in for an unexpected stocking stuffer in the form of flight delays and cancellations related to work stoppages.
Labor actions are currently planned by unions affecting airports in the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain. For American travelers, there are two main takeaways: the impact of the strikes on flights to or from the United States is expected to be relatively limited, and threatened strike actions in Europe are frequently cancelled if the labor union wins concessions.
Italy
46 flights were cancelled and another 48 delayed at Rome and Naples airports Wednesday as airline ground handlers, airline staff, and air traffic controllers struck for several hours in the afternoon. The workers were striking to protest their ongoing labor dispute over the pace of contract negotiations and working conditions. The striking workers had returned to their jobs by early evening. Flights were cancelled at Rome by KLM, Air France, Vueling, SWISS, Iberia, and British Airways, while flights at Naples were cancelled by Air France, Iberia, easyJet, Wizz Air, and Transavia.
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Italian airport workers have not announced further strike dates.
United Kingdom
Labor unions representing ground staff for easyJet also planned a walkout at London’s Luton Airport from December 19-22 and December 26-29. At London’s Heathrow Airport, flight attendants for Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) will walk out on December 22, 24, and 26. United, the union representing the airline’s London-based cabin crew, has rejected a pay increase proposal that trails inflation, which the union says amounts to a pay cut for workers already stretched thin. The majority of SAS cabin crew are based in Scandinavia under a different labor agreement and are not participating in the strike.
Spain
Ryanair’s ground handling partner, Azul Handling, has faced ongoing strikes resulting from their labor dispute with workers, who have been staging weekly walkouts, citing concerns over working conditions, pay bonuses, and job protections. The union will continue the walkouts through the end of the year on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, from 5-9 AM, 12-3 PM, and 9 PM to midnight—peak departure hours for Ryanair flights from Spanish airports.
The airports affected are Alicante, Barcelona-El Prat, Girona, Ibiza, Lanzarote, Madrid-Barajas, Palma de Mallorca, Santiago de Compostela, Seville, Tenerife South, and Valencia.
What to Do in the Event of a Delay or Cancellation
It’s helpful for travelers to have their airline’s app downloaded on their phone before they head to the airport. Most airlines use their apps as a first point of notification for flight delays and cancellations.
Passengers who are delayed for several hours or overnight may be entitled to compensation from the airline and reimbursement of expenses under Europe’s consumer protection laws, as long as the reason for the delay or cancellation is considered within the airline’s control. In this case, it makes a difference exactly who was on strike. Airport workers not directly employed by the airline like air traffic controllers or ground staff employed by a third party are considered outside of airline control, but directly employed workers like pilots and cabin crew are considered within an airline’s control.
Travel insurance can help defray some of the expenses of a flight delay—even if the delay is for an uncontrollable reason, like weather. Many credit cards offer travel insurance automatically when purchasing an airline ticket with that card, so it can be helpful to check the fine print.
It has been a difficult year for travel in Europe. French air traffic controllers struck in October, while sporadic work actions by airport and airline workers have affected flights in Italy, Portugal, and Spain throughout the year.
