This week, labor disputes are once again threatening the normality of air traffic in Spain. In the midst of negotiations with Ryanair, which begins another week of protests, Iberia Express suspended ten flights yesterday, on the second day of the strike of passenger cabin crew (TCP) called by USO. Iberia planned to operate 94 flights yesterday (90.4% of those scheduled), all included in the minimum services decree issued by the Government.
This Monday, three strikes coincided in the airline sector, of low-cost companies and in demand for salary improvements: the one of Iberia Express is joined by the one that has been developed since the beginning of the summer by the crew of Ryanair, also called by USO, and EasyJet pilots, called by Sepla.
The canceled Iberia Express flights, those not included in the minimum services decree issued by the Ministry of Transport, were the return links between Madrid and Gran Canaria, Malaga, Mallorca, Santiago and Seville.
According to the low-cost airline subsidiary of Iberia, of the 1,300 passengers who were affected by yesterday’s cancellations, 1,000 were resettled on other flights or alternative means of transport and the rest requested a pass or refunds or you are waiting to choose the alternative that suits you best.
USO pointed out in a communication to the media that, in addition to the 10 canceled flights, the company “deprogrammed” others that were operated by Spanish crews from London, but that were operated by British Airways, an airline that belongs to the group hispanobritani IAG, same as Iberia.
Iberia Express explains that they have an aircraft and crew availability contract with British Airways, who manages the commercial program and who decides the flights operated by the Spanish airline and, indeed, yesterday descheduled ten based on London-Gatwick .
In Ryanair, as reported by USO, no flights were canceled this Monday and delays were recorded in 28 departures. The company did not provide information on the development of the strike, but sources in the workforce assured that management has retaliated against workers who took advantage of their right to strike.