Factbox: European summer travel hit by strike-related disruption
01/08/2023 13:32
(Updates Belgium, Britain and Portugal)
Aug 1 (Reuters) - Europe's travel industry is on high
alert for disruption from strikes as passenger numbers globally
recover to pre-pandemic levels.
While Europe's peak season was hit last year by
cancellations, this summer, air traffic control issues are
likely to be the weak spot, according to warnings from
Eurocontrol, which manages European airspace.
Here is a summary of recent developments:
EUROCONTROL
One of the Eurocontrol trade unions has announced a six-month
period when industrial action could take place in the Network
Manager Operations Centre, which oversees traffic across the
European airspace, the pan-European organisation said on July 7.
The union has not set specific dates for a strike.
BELGIUM
Ryanair RYA.I pilots in Belgium went on strike on July
15-16 to demand higher wages and better working conditions.
Belgian media reported around 120 flights were cancelled.
Pilots held another strike on July 29 and July 30, saying
management had failed to address their demands. The union has
said further action could be taken.
BRITAIN
A first round of strikes planned by baggage handlers working
with easyJet EZJ.L at London's Gatwick Airport was suspended
after a better pay offer, the Unite trade union said on July 18.
ASC, Menzies Aviation and GGS staff, who work for other airlines
including British Airways, also cancelled walkouts scheduled to
take place from July 28 to Aug. 1 and from Aug. 4 to Aug. 8
after they voted to accept a 15% pay rise, the union said.
Concerns over air traffic control delays already prompted
EasyJet to axe 2% of its summer flight schedule on July 10,
affecting holiday plans of 180,000 customers. The airline
cancelled 1,700 flights, mostly from Gatwick, for the rest of
July and August.
FRANCE
Repeated air traffic control strikes in France, related to
President Emmanuel Macron's plan to raise the pension age, have
led to delays and limited flights across the country, causing
more air space congestion in Europe.
Ryanair, which has asked the European Commission to protect
overflights from strike disruption, cancelled more than 900
flights in June, mainly due to French ATC strikes.
ITALY
About 1,000 flights were cancelled in Italy on July 15 due
to a nationwide airport staff strike, local media reported. Up
to 100% of workers participated in the strike, trade unions said
in a press release.
Air traffic control company ENAV ENAV.MI has confirmed
there will be no strikes in the Italian air transport sector
between July 27 and Sept. 5 due to a summer exemption provided
for in industry regulations.
PORTUGAL
Easyjet EZJ.L cancelled 350 flights arriving to or departing
from Portugal ahead of a cabin staff strike on July 21-25, the
SNPVAC union of civil aviation flight personnel said. It will be
the union's third strike since the beginning of the year.
On July 21, almost 100% of EasyJet's cabin staff in Portugal
walked out and the union threatened more strikes in the coming
months if the company keeps rejecting the raises they demand.
SPAIN
Pilots at Iberia Regional Air Nostrum, who had been striking
every Monday and Friday since Feb. 27, went on a daily
indefinite strike from June 6 amid a pay dispute. Iberia said on
its website that some flight routes could be affected.
(Compiled by Tiago Brandao, Pierre John Felcenloben, Antonis
Triantafyllou, Romolo Tosiani and Luca Fratangelo; Editing by
Milla Nissi and Conor Humphries)
((mailto:Tiago.Brandao@thomsonreuters.com;))