Strikes threaten to disrupt European travel
Strike action by workers in Spain and France are set to disrupt the travel plans of thousands of Brits.
While the latest threatened Air France strikes have been called off, rolling strikes by France’s SNCF railway workers are due to continue up to June 28, meaning they will walk out for 48 hours every five days.
However, Eurostar has confirmed that it plans to run a normal service between London and Paris during the next walkout, from Friday to Saturday.
In Spain, air traffic controllers are threatening to take industrial action from as early as this weekend following a dispute with management over irregular working patterns.
Any industrial action will hit passengers using airports on the east coast of Spain and the Balearics, including Barcelona’s El Prat, Palma in Majorca, Ibiza and Minorca.
A representative of the air traffic controllers, Raul Tobaruela, said the industrial action would not lead to many flight cancellations but there would be ‘huge’ delays due to staff shortages.
The workers are demanding more than one day off every eight to spend more time with their families.
The strike has not yet been confirmed, but Tobaruela said he was not optimistic that an agreement would be reached with the Spanish government and Enaire, the air traffic service control provider.
Meanwhile, Air France unions have suspended a four-day strike from this Saturday after agreeing to wait until a new boss is appointed.
Air France-KLM chief executive Jean-Marc Janaillac resigned last month amid the long-running pay dispute.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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