Heading home for Christmas or planning a winter getaway abroad?
Travellers are advised to stay informed about a series of strike actions scheduled in the coming days at some of Europe’s busiest airports, as industrial disputes threaten to disrupt flights during the peak holiday period.
Below is a breakdown of all known airport strikes expected across Europe in the run-up to the end of the year.
Italy: Coordinated strike by airport staff
On 17 December, selected ground handling staff, airline crews and air traffic controllers in Italy will take part in a coordinated strike.
The four-hour walkout will involve ENAV staff at Rome airport responsible for air traffic control, Assohandlers employees providing ground services at major Italian airports for airlines including Ryanair, Wizz Air and easyJet, staff of ITA Airways, Italy’s national carrier, Vueling employees, as well as ground staff from Air France and KLM.
The strike is scheduled from 1 pm to 5 pm, but disruption may extend throughout the day, with flight delays and longer waiting times for check-in and baggage handling expected at major airports in Milan, Rome, Venice, Naples and Catania. A list of guaranteed flights has been published by Italy’s Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC).
United Kingdom: Christmas strikes at London airports
From 19 to 22 December and again from 26 to 29 December, easyJet ground handling staff at London Luton Airportwill go on strike, potentially causing delays to check-in and baggage services.
Meanwhile, London Heathrow Airport is also preparing for possible disruption over the Christmas period. From 22 to 24 December, and again on 26 December, cabin crew employed by Scandinavian Airlines Services (SAS) will take strike action.
Flights to key SAS hubs, including Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo, are expected to be affected.
Workers are protesting low pay, which, according to the Unite union, has forced some staff to rely on food banks when travelling to high-cost Scandinavian destinations.
Spain: Ongoing baggage handling strikes cause delays
Since the summer, employees of Azul Handling, Ryanair’s Spanish ground handling partner, have been staging weekly strikes over working conditions, bonuses and job security.
Until 31 December, strike action will continue every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, between 5–9 am, 12–3 pm, and 9 pm to midnight.
As a result, Ryanair passengers may face longer queues and delays at check-in and baggage claim at the following airports: Alicante, Barcelona–El Prat, Girona, Ibiza, Lanzarote, Madrid–Barajas, Málaga, Palma de Mallorca, Santiago de Compostela, Seville, Tenerife South and Valencia.
Source: euronews.com