Pain in Spain for air travellers
Travellers to Spain are being warned to expect a summer of disruption after air traffic controllers staged a "covert strike" in protest at new working conditions
Many controllers scheduled to report for work on Monday at Barcelona’s El Prat airport called in sick, a move that caused widespread delays to airports on the east coast of Spain and the Balearics, said the UK Daily Telegraph
This followed several days of similar action leading to serious delays and numerous cancellations on one of the busiest weekends of the summer season.
The Syndicated Union of Air Traffic Controllers has denied that an "undercover strike" had been ordered but warned of a "complicated" summer if Spain’s airport authority, the AENA, insisted on implementing "abusive timetables and rosters to save money”.
In February the Spanish government put an end to what it described as the "incomprehensible privileges" of air traffic controllers, including their high rates of pay and benefits.
The move followed outrage across Spain after the public disclosure that some controllers were earning up to a million euros after adding overtime pay to their basic salary.
The action by the Spanish controllers was followed on Wednesday by a strike by French air traffic controllers o and the decision by the British Airways cabin crew union, Unite, to reject the airline’s latest pay offer, raising the prospect of further strikes.
Ian Jarrett
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 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Strike action set to cause travel chaos at Brussels airports