European travel strikes: which countries are affected over the summer?

The summer months are typically the busiest times to fly out of the UK as sunshine-seeking Brits jet off on their holidays.[1] If you’re planning on getting away in the coming weeks, will you be affected? Read on to see what delays you can expect, based on where you may be travelling to.

Security staff have been striking most of the summer, and more industrial action is incoming, which is likely to lead to congestion and possibly delays on other routes going through the airspace[2]. There has been industrial action throughout August, and now more strikes are planned for August 30 and 31. Alicante-Elche, serving the Costa Blanca, will be affected between 8.30am-9.30am and 6pm-7pm local time.

British holiday company Jet2, which uses the airport for its package holidays, posted on its website: “The strike is supported by security services at the airport and will affect congestion at security control.” They advised passengers to arrive at the airport in plenty of time. No strikes are allowed during the peak summer season but that is soon coming to a close.

The transport sector is prohibited from going on strike between July 27 and September 5 every year as this period aligns with the peak holiday season when most Italians take their vacations. But that will not stop Italians from having their say after that point. If you are flying to, from or across Italy on September 7 you may experience delays.

Pilots and cabin staff at Italy’s flagship carrier ITA Airways and budget airline Wizz Air plan to strike from 1pm to 5pm. Air-traffic controllers at Rome Fiumicino and Sardinia’s Olbia airports, and baggage handlers at Milan Malpensa, Florence Amerigo Vespucci, and Pisa Galileo Galilei plan to walk out over the same four-hour period. There will also be rail strikes on September 8 for 24 hours and again on Monday, September 9 as staff at bus, tram and commuter train operators around the country plan to strike for eight hours.

Staff on the Autoroutes du Sud and Vinci motorways have initiated a series of strikes over the summer in protest against declining staff numbers, which began in July and created disruption for drivers. It remains unclear whether additional strikes will occur in the coming weeks, which could further affect travellers during the busy summer holiday period, but it has been threatened, so drivers should check for delays.

The Netherlands

No problems are expected in the Netherlands in August but a public transport strike is planned for September 12 in the country’s largest cities, including Amsterdam, the Hague, and Rotterdam. This strike is timed ahead of the government’s budget proposal. Workers have been advocating for provisions allowing early retirement for those in physically demanding jobs.

Are there any strikes in the UK?

London, Heathrow airport

Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport who are part of the PCS union are set to strike[3] from August 31 to September 3.

PCS’s 650 members will then refuse to work overtime until September 22. Although no flights have been cancelled, Border Force staff going on strike means there could be delays through customs and security, and “serious disruption”[4] if the strikes do go ahead. Train strikes have been threatened in Scotland, which will mean delays and cancellations for people travelling to airports if they go ahead.

ScotRail’s 1,300 drivers are going to vote on whether to go on strike or take other action.

They are in a pay dispute with union Aslef but no dates have been announced as yet.

References

1. ^ holidays. (www.standard.co.uk)
2. ^ delays on other routes going through the airspace (www.standard.co.uk)
3. ^ set to strike (www.standard.co.uk)
4. ^ “serious disruption” (www.standard.co.uk)