Massive strikes and staff shortages across the continent can disrupt holidays throughout Europe this summer.
British vacationers have been facing nightmares in recent weeks due to delays, cancellations and lost luggage at Britain’s busiest airports.
More problems are expected after British Airways workers at Heathrow Airport voted for a wage strike.
Approximately 700 workers will leave between July and September after the airline is unable to recover the 10% wage cut imposed during the pandemic.
But the UK is not alone in facing these problems. Workers in France, Spain, Italy, Germany and Scandinavia have voted or are discussing strikes over wages and conditions.
Staff shortages are also causing delays and baggage issues at other popular destinations such as Bucharest and Portugal.
Thousands of British passengers are in turmoil, affecting major airlines such as easyJet and Ryanair.
EasyJet workers in Spain will strike in three stages in July – 1-3 days, 15-17 days, 29-31 days.
The three 72-hour walkouts will be attended by hundreds of crew members at bases in Barcelona, Malaga and Palma.
Workers from the USO Union in Spain are seeking a 40% increase in the base salary of low-paying room staff.
Meanwhile, a three-day strike in Spain by Ryanair staff will begin on Thursday and continue until July 2.
The walkout will affect flights at 10 locations in Madrid, Malaga, Barcelona, Alicante, Seville, Palma, Valencia, Girona, Santiago de Compostela and Ibiza.
However, Ryanair said he did not anticipate widespread turmoil and claimed that most crew members did not support the planned actions.
Elsewhere, flights from Charles de Gaulle (CDG) at Paris and other French airports faced turmoil on Friday as workers went on strike demanding salary increases to catch up with inflation. ..
French civil aviation officials said 17% of scheduled flights were canceled today and further tomorrow is expected.
Hundreds of workers in union vests blocked the main road approaching the CDG today, and passengers dragged their suitcases along the bypass to the terminal.
This happens after a staff strike at the French Air Traffic Control Center in Marseille has resulted in the cancellation of a large number of flights from Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom and other destinations that normally pass through French airspace.
Italian trade unions have also threatened further strikes this summer after more than 4,000 passengers were affected by the strike last month.
The walkout was attended by Italian pilots and flight attendants from Ryanair, Malta Air, Crewlink, easyJet and Bolt.
UIL Trasporti warned: “This is just the first of a series of protests that heat up the summer.”
Other popular destinations are experiencing similar problems as in the UK as a result of staff shortages.
In Portugal, the procession at the airports in Lisbon and Faro is said to have lasted three hours, while in Romania, travelers at Bucharest Henri Coanda International Airport have complained of a four-hour flight delay and lost baggage. Mailonline reports.
In Germany, a pandemic shortage has already forced the popular airliner Lufthansa to cut 3,000 flights this summer.
The government is reportedly planning to draft 2,000 foreign workers from Turkey to alleviate this problem.
And as Scandinavian Airlines SAS staff vote on whether to strike this week, the turmoil can quickly spread to Norway, Denmark and Sweden.
In the UK, Transport Minister Grant Shapps has announced a 22-point plan to avoid the recurring turmoil seen at the airport during Easter and Jubilee vacations.
The list of countermeasures (some of which were previously announced) includes urgent airlines to ensure that the schedule is delivered.
To encourage you not to promise more flights than you can manage, amnesty allows you to retain valuable takeoff slots that would normally be lost if not used a certain number of times during the season.
A new passenger charter will be published within a few weeks, providing passengers with a “one-stop guide” to let them know their rights and what to expect from airports and airlines during the flight.
Some welcome the government’s plan, but critics say it’s too late.
On the same day, Chaps announced measures, and Heathrow Airport, Britain’s largest airport, abandoned 30 flights at the last minute.
Which is Rossio Concha? The director of policy and advocacy said: Enough to prevent the confusion of summer travel.
“Passengers have been horrified over the last few months. Governments and aviation regulators are aware of the situation as millions of people’s vacation plans are at stake. We must show that airports and airlines can reliably meet their legal obligations to travelers in busy weeks.
“The shameful sight at British airports shows why passengers need their rights to be strengthened and enforced by strong regulations and compensation schemes. If the government violates the law, CAA authority should be given directly to the airline and plans to withdraw passenger compensation for domestic delays and cancellations.
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