General strike could disrupt European flights for three days
Flights are likely to be disrupted for three days as a result of the Europe-wide general strike to begin on Wednesday.
The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) strike action has been backed by unions in Greece, Portugal, Spain and the Canary Islands.
Passengers booked to fly on all affected European sectors should check the updates on their airline’s website.
EasyJet has cancelled 26 flights, including services from Gatwick to Barcelona and Madrid, and re-scheduled 10 others, including flights from Gatwick and Manchester to Athens and from Gatwick to Thessaloniki.
TAP Portugal has announced that London to Lisbon flights will also be affected today and 15 November. Many flights have been cancelled or delayed including Gatwick to Oporto and Manchester to Lisbon.
Most airlines have urged passengers to re-book free of charge for alternative dates. EasyJet said: "We regret this situation and are doing our utmost to reduce the inconvenience caused by this action".
Ryanair has listed some flights which the Spanish government has ‘guaranteed’ will not be cancelled but may be delayed on its website. It says the position is still under review and passengers should check for updates. Those on affected routes can change their dates.
British Airways also said passengers due to travel to or from Spain on Wednesday can change to another date free of charge and has warned there could be disruptions on services to other European countries.
Different countries will be affected at different times at workers in Spain and the Canaries are expected to walk out from midnight tonight until midnight on Wednesday but in Greece the strike is only expected to last from mid-day tomorrow until 15:00hrs.
A spokesman said BA believed the strike would only affect Spanish routes and that it will be putting on larger aircraft to help as many customers as possible.
The Iberia Group has said it’s cancelled more than 350 flights including Madrid to London as a result of the strike which affects air traffic control workers.
The strike is in protest of the austerity measures being imposed on many Europeans and what they claim is an overthrow of labour rights and national collective bargains.
The Foreign Office said on its website: "Public transport within Spain and services at Spanish airports are likely to be significantly disrupted and public demonstrations in city centres may also affect local services on the 14 and 15 November."
By Diane Evans
Diane
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Turkish tourism stalls due to soaring prices for accommodation and food
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers