The air traffic controllers’ union has not ruled out the possibility of even more stoppages after this week’s eight walkouts.Īn easyJet spokesman said yesterday: ‘At this stage easyJet plans to operate its full schedule. ‘Therefore the damage suffered by travellers, airlines, hotels and tourist operators will be difficult to repair.’ Spain’s Ministry of Public Works and Transport said: ‘Tourists on package holidays can’t change the time or day of their flight as the services they have purchased mostly include hotel stays with fixed and non-changeable dates. It’s the last option left open to us.’Īround 80 per cent of foreign visitors to Spain arrive or leave by plane – and with the country among those that have been hardest hit by the economic slowdown, tourism income is particularly important. ‘That’s why we’ve called stoppages and not general strikes. USCA spokesman Susana Romero said: ‘Industrial disputes never occur at the right time and are always going to affect a section of the population. The walkouts were originally scheduled for March – but were postponed following the Germanwings air crash which killed 150 people including suicide pilot Andreas Lubitz.Īirlines who fly to popular tourist resorts are hoping the strikes will cause little disruption for travellers Union bosses have also announced they are attempting to overturn the 70 per cent minimum operational service requirement fixed by the government during the strike action. More than 80 per cent of union members have backed this week’s walkouts. The union which announced the move, USCA, represents around 90 per cent of air traffic controllers in Spain. Spain’s military was called in to take over air traffic control five years ago after civilian staff called in sick en masse during a dispute with airport authority Aena over hours and conditions. The strikes are a protest against a decision to sanction 61 air traffic controllers for shutting down Barcelona’s airspace in 2010. Tourist chiefs in Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands are certainly concerned, and have reserved 1,300 beds for holidaymakers whose flights could face cancellation. EasyJet has warned its customers due to fly to or from Spain to monitor its website and be prepared for delays, although it is hoping to avoid cancellations.
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