Spanish Airport Staff Strike Could Cause Easter Travel Chaos

If you're thinking of booking a last minute Easter trip to Spain, you may want to reconsider - if you're not a fan of travel chaos, that is. If you've already booked an Easter trip to Spain, however, then here's hoping a little bit of travel chaos is your idea of a good time.

This is because up to 60,000 ground handling staff across the country's airport network are planning to go on strike, starting on the Saturday of the Easter weekend (20 April). More worryingly still, the strike is expected to go on for an indefinite period, so it's tough to know whether or not your flights might become embroiled in the bedlam.

PA

Across the Easter weekend, five million passengers across 32,500 flights are expected to be affected by the walkout, which could cause long queues, delays and even cancellations.

But before you go burning your Crocs and straw hats, it's worth considering that the strike could still be called off yet.

The Spanish airport workers' unions, Unión Sindical Obrera (USO) and Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT), said they are willing to negotiate and reach a compromise in a bid to prevent the strike from going ahead...

To be fair, though, you should probably still burn your Crocs and straw hat, even if the strike is called off.

Workers are unhappy with low salaries, as well as clauses affecting staff when they transfer to another company. If a deal is not reached, the strike will go ahead as planned.

PA

A union spokesman said: "The USO air sector, together with UGT, has presented a conciliation request prior to the call for a state strike against Aseata, the employer representing all the companies in the ground assistance sector.

"The call for strikes, which [includes] some 60,000 handling workers, called at all Spanish airports, will begin on April 20.

"This conflict affects the staff that provide services in companies in the sector, including ground handling services, aircraft and passengers, merchandise and mail, as well as the service of placing and removing gangways, which connect the aircraft with the port terminal."

Last July, a similar strike threatened to derail summer holiday travel in Spain, but the strike was called off following successful negotiations. Here's hoping they can agree terms in the next 10 days and you won't end up having to try and get some kip while curled up on your sweaty suitcase in a manic airport in Tenerife.

Topics: News, holidays, travel, Spain

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey