Long queues at the Ryanair counter this Sunday at Malaga airport. /
The third day of unemployment of the Spanish cabin crew coincides this Sunday with those summoned in Portugal, Belgium and France
The strike called by Ryanair cabin crew (TCP) is starting to cause concern at airports. The first day, last Friday, did not involve the cancellation of any flight to or from Spain, since the airline operated 100% of the trips ignoring the lack of staff. But the second and third days had much more impact.
While on Saturday the strikes forced the cancellation of 75 flights at Spanish airports and generated delays in another 180, this Sunday the third day of the TCP strike led to the cancellation of 54 flights to or from Spain, as confirmed by the USO union, caller of the strikes for the improvement of the working conditions of the TCP.
In addition, 58 flights departing from Spanish airports suffered delays. Also, this third day of strike in Spain coincided with deliveries also called in Portugal, Belgium and France.
Malaga airport was the most affected with a dozen departures and eight arrivals cancelled, in addition to six delayed flights. Barcelona El Prat airport followed, with six departures and six arrivals cancelled, as well as eight delays. Likewise, the Palma de Mallorca airport accumulated more than a dozen delays and one departure and one arrival canceled.
There are still three other strike days called. They will be on June 30 and July 1 and 2 at the airline’s ten bases in Spain.
Where the stoppages of the Ryanair crew are being noticed the most is in Belgium, since the country does not have the minimum mandatory services.
Airport congestion
Also the Easyjet TCP have decided to go on strike in Spain during the summer. In your case, the stoppages will begin next day 1 and will be nine days during the month of July with the aim of unblocking the negotiation of the II Collective Agreement. Therefore, on July 1 and 2, both strikes coincide, which could further stress the situation at airports such as Barcelona, where the two airlines are based.
All this portends a “complicated” summer at airports, not only Spanish, but also European. The CEO of IAG, Luis Gallego, announced it a few days ago during the shareholders’ meeting. Added to the worker strikes is the lack of staff of many airlines, which laid off their staff during the pandemic and now it is difficult for them to recover their capacities due to the increase in demand with the end of the restrictions.
There are several airlines that are rescheduling their flights, but the most notorious case is that of Lufthansa, which has already had to cancel nearly 3,000 flights due to lack of personnel to operate them. Two weeks ago the German airline announced 900 cancellations, but last week the number increased by another 2,200 at the Frankfurt and Munich airports, which mainly affect flights within Germany and Europe.