European airline strikes spell more travel disruption for Scottish holidaymakers

Scots holidaymakers face journey chaos as airline staff plan a collection of strikes this summer time.

Employees at Ryanair, Easyjet and BA are among the many aviation corporations staging walkouts in London and throughout Europe from the top of June and into July over pay and dealing situations. 

Snaking queues, baggage delays and flight disruption have been reported at main airports over the previous couple of months amid industry-wide workers shortages and an enormous surge in demand.

Travellers headed to Oslo, Copenhagen or Stockholm for a metropolis break is also affected if pilots from Scandinavian airline SAS vote to strike this week. The provider operates flights to and from Edinburgh Airport.

In the meantime, Lufthansa plans to slash greater than 3,000 flights this summer time on account of workers shortages – although these are solely more likely to have an effect on home German and intra-European routes.

Ryanair

Ryanair workers walked out in Belgium, Portugal, France, Italy and Spain final weekend, although the provider stated lower than 2% of 9,000 scheduled flights final weekend have been affected.

One other motion is deliberate for Thursday and over this weekend (July 1-2) in Spain. 

Employees are putting on the airline’s 10 bases: Madrid, Malaga, Barcelona, Alicante, Sevilla, Palma, Valencia, Girona, Santiago de Compostela and Ibiza.

EasyJet

EasyJet’s onboard crew in Spain will stage additional strikes subsequent month if their pay dispute just isn’t resolved because the airline introduced 11,000 flights will probably be cancelled this summer time.

Airline workers who belong to the Spanish USO union will participate in three 72-hour stoppages at fortnightly intervals, with the primary going down from Friday, July 1.

Employees are asking for a 40% enhance of their primary wage, which USO says is way decrease than in different international locations equivalent to France and Germany.

A whole bunch of workers will cease work at easyJet’s bases in Barcelona, Málaga and Palma.

• EasyJet cabin crew will strike in Spain between July 1-3
• EasyJet cabin crew in Spain even have walk-outs pencilled in for between July 15-17 and between July 29-31, pending negotiations

A spokeswoman for EasyJet insisted the strike is at the moment deliberate relatively than confirmed and stated the corporate continues to be assessing the potential influence of any industrial motion.

A press release learn: “easyJet has been suggested of strike motion by its cabin crew based mostly in Spain between 1-3, 15-17, and 29-31 July at its bases in Barcelona, Malaga, and Palma. We’re extraordinarily disillusioned with this motion as we’ve made appreciable progress in the direction of a brand new CLA and so wish to proceed the constructive dialogue with them.

“Ought to the commercial motion go forward there may very well be some disruption to our flying programme to and from Malaga, Palma and Barcelona through the strike interval however at this stage, easyJet plans to function its full schedule and we wish to reassure prospects that we’ll do all the pieces doable to minimise any disruption.” 

How will airports be affected

Whereas workers at Scotland’s main airports haven’t voted to strike, holidaymakers heading to Spain could face disruption.

A spokesman for Edinburgh Airport stated: “At current, airways haven’t knowledgeable us of any influence these strikes may have on flights to or from Edinburgh. We’ll proceed to watch the scenario intently so we’re conscious of any points ought to they come up.”

A spokesman for AGS, who personal Aberdeen and Glasgow airports, added: “Within the occasion of any potential disruption, our recommendation to passengers is to verify the standing of their flight instantly with their airline earlier than travelling to the airport.”

Elsewhere, British Airways workers at London’s Heathrow airport have voted to strike over the ten% pandemic pay lower – set to happen sooner or later over the subsequent two months. The provider has already lower practically 20,000 flights from its summer time schedule.

When would I be entitled to compensation?

For medium haul flights of two to 4 hours, the delay have to be three hours or extra to assert compensation, rising to 4 hours for long-haul journeys.

If the delay lasts longer than 5 hours, prospects might be able to select between being rerouted or getting a refund.

Compensation can solely be claimed if the delay just isn’t on account of ‘extraordinary circumstances’ equivalent to extreme climate, lengthy safety queues, safety dangers, illegal acts and strikes by non-airline workers equivalent to baggage handlers.

For EU-regulated flights which might be cancelled, and the place ‘extraordinary circumstances’ don’t apply, prospects can ask for a refund or select to take an alternate flight.

Colin Mathieson, spokesperson for Recommendation Direct Scotland, stated: “With flights being cancelled and delayed by airways, it will be significant for folks to know their rights in relation to the refunds, compensation and help they’re entitled to, and go about claiming it.

“We’ve got revealed an outline of among the most commonly-asked questions on our consumeradvice.scot web site.”

How a lot can I declare?

• Flight distance as much as 1,500km (932 miles) – arriving greater than three hours late – entitled to €250 (£215)
• Any flight in EU over 1,500km (932 miles) or every other flight between 1,500km-3,500km (2,175 miles) – arriving greater than three hours late – entitled to €400 (£344)
• Flight distance greater than 3,500km (2,175 miles) – arriving between three and 4 hours late – entitled to €300 (£258)
• Flight distance greater than 3,500km (2,175 miles) – arriving greater than 4 hours late – entitled to €600 (£516)