Spain holiday warning for Brits as strikes could hit Ryanair and easyJet
Holidaymakers flying out to sunny Spain could see their air travel disrupted this summer. Most of us want a relaxing journey before we head to out hotels for sun, sand and sea, but that might not be the case In May and June.
Majorca, mainland Spain and other islands like Ibiza, Menorca, Tenerife and Lanzarote could all be affected as pilots go on strike. Popular airlines such as Ryanair, easyJet and Vueling could all face disprution.
The Spanish Union of Airline Pilots (SEPLA) has threatened to stage a number of walk-outs as ongoing issues with the Spanish Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agency continue. This means that airlines may be adversely affected – and your holiday might start in chaos.
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The union and its members are allegedly fighting back against a "minimum services" law that requires pilots to work 90% of scheduled flights even when they're striking, reports the Mirror. SEPLA has stated that the ministry has violated workers' right to strike and that the Spanish National Court has backed up this claim.
Air Nostrum and Air Europa pilots are currently striking and have been since February. The legislation means 60 of the daily 80 flights the airlines operate are stilling running despite the strikes, as pilots are required to fly them.
In a response to the law, SEPLA is considering carrying out different strikes by members in different airlines across the summer, spreading out the impact. SEPLA has union representation in Air Nostrum, Air Europa, Iberia, Iberia Express, Vueling, Ryanair, easyJet, Norwegian, Swiftair, Plus Ultra, Jet 2, Eurowings and Evelop.
Air traffic controllers, flight attendants and ground staff could also join the strike action, according to the Majorca Daily Bulletin. Air Europa workers are also considering expanding their strike to May 22, 23, 25, 26, 29, and 30, plus June 1 and 2 at all Spanish bases.
It's important to know your rights when it comes to refunds and reallocation of flights before events unfold.
Plus you should always have travel insurance so that you can get to your destination by other means if necessary. Citizen's Advice states: "The airline might give you vouchers to get these things at the airport. Ask someone who works for the airline if you’re not offered anything.
"If they don’t give you help at the airport, keep receipts for your expenses and try to claim from the airline later. Airlines only pay for 'reasonable' expenses – you are unlikely to get money back for alcohol, expensive meals or luxury hotels."
According to Anton Radchenko, CEO of AirAdvisor, trips to Spain are likely to be disrupted this summer, based on the number of issues endured by passengers last year. He said: "The UK’s most popular foreign holiday destination is perhaps unsurprisingly one of the regions where travellers are most likely to experience disruptions to their plans, in part down to the sheer volume of flights.
"Between May 7 and June 6 2022, a huge 110 flights to Spain were cancelled, and travellers should prepare for a similar story this summer."
It is worth noting that hundreds of flights take place between the UK and Spain every week, so the actual percentage chance of yours being cancelled won't, hopefully, be too high. But, you should be prepared with the phone number of your travel insurance and download the airline's app.
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