Strikes disrupt air travel across Europe

Security staff at Berlin Tegel Airport, Ryanair’s Spanish cabin crew and Italy’s aviation workers are all walking out

(Simon Calder)

Hostilities between aviation workers and their employers have resumed across Europe, with thousands of passengers caught up in the first major stoppage of the year.

Security workers at Berlin’s Tegel Airport took industrial action between 5am and 8.45am, the busiest time of the week for outbound departures. The strike triggered cancellations that will disrupt travel through the morning.

Lufthansa and its subsidiaries Eurowings are hardest hit, with multiple flights to Frankfurt, Cologne and Munich grounded.

Services to Paris, Copenhagen, Basel, Zurich and Vienna are among the international flights cancelled.

The airport told passengers: “From 5am to 8.45am there will be severe disruption in air traffic. Enquire about the current status of your flight with your airline before travelling to the airport.”

Ryanair cabin crew employed in Spain are planning strikes on 8, 10 and 13 January after failing to reach an agreement with Europe’s biggest budget airline over employment conditions.

As is customary in Spain, the government has stipulated a minimum level of operations, which means that all domestic flights and 35 per cent of international services must run.

The airline said it planned to operate a full schedule of flights to, from and within Spain on Tuesday 8 January – but urged passengers to arrive at the departure airport at least two hours ahead.

The latest strike to be called is in Italy on Friday 11 January. Eurocontrol said the four-hour strike, timed for the busiest afternoon of the week – from 1-5pm – will affect domestic, European flights and long-haul departures, but not overflights or incoming intercontinental flights.

Passengers whose flights are disrupted are entitled to a duty of care – meals and accommodation – until they reach their destination, but the right to cash compensation is disputed.