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Warning to British tourists as 1,000 flights to be cancelled to Spain over Easter weekend


British tourists hoping to spend Easter weekend in Spain may want to keep an eye on their itineraries, as a series of strikes could impact 1,000 flights bound for the country this week.

Employees of Spanish aircraft guidance firm SDP (Platform Management Service) have scheduled strikes between March 27 and 29 as airports prepare to marshal their services for the holiday period.

The Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT, General Union of Workers) has complained executives from Serveo-Skyway have refused to engage with employees and accused them of lowering wages.

The resulting strikes targeting Spain’s major airports could disrupt up to 1,000 flights as the unionised employees jostle with their bosses and demand better working conditions.

But the strikes could land flat, with other unions having opposed the SDP call.

UGT has called the strike to demand better wages and a labour agreement “in accordance with their responsibility, specialisation and the demands of the job” as they claim workers are worse off.

The union claimed that, after the service was created, workers received €2,000, but that total has now plummeted to €1,300 in real terms after 11 years and a 25 percent inflation rate.

Officials believe the strikes could affect 2,000 flights in total at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas airport, with between 800 and 1,000 cancelled over the busy Easter weekend.

The ASAE trade union has opposed the SDP’s call, meaning the strike impact could be considerably lessened due to a decree requiring minimum services to remain above 90 percent.

Valencia airport, one of the largest in the country, is expecting localised strikes between March 28 and April 1.

The Valencia Airport Works Committee has called for workers to gather in front of the major airport after “many months” of meetings with management.

Committee members demanded an increase in staff and “the appointment of Compulsory Service Coverage (COS) with due notice”, with the strikes expected to affect multiple airlines.

While there is no official confirmation as of yet, possible airlines and destinations affected could include:

  • Ryanair: Rome, Milan, Bologna, Breslavia, Treviso, Trieste, Palma, Dublin, Marrakech and Sofia
  • United: Frankfurt
  • Lufthansa: Frankfurt, Munich
  • Austrian: Vienna
  • Air Nostrum: Ibiza
  • Delta: Paris Charles de Gaulle
  • Air France: Paris Charles de Gaulle
  • Air Europa: Palma de Mallorca
  • Easyjet: London
  • British Airways: London
  • Brussels Airlines: Brussels
  • Iberia: Tenerife North
  • Tap Portugal: Lisbon
  • Turkish Airlines: Istanbul
  • Swiss: Zurich
  • Volotea: A Coruña, San Sebastián
  • Vueling: Tenerife North
  • Eurowings: Stuttgart

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