Cancelations and delays on tenth day of Ryanair cabin crew strike

The tenth day of the Ryanair cabin crew strike has led to further disruption at Catalan airports. 

As of 7 pm, 2 flights have been canceled at Barcelona El Prat (to and from London), while another 28 have been delayed. In Girona, the other Catalan airport in which Ryanair operates there have been no delayed departures and only two delayed arrivals.

Across Spain, a total of 4 flights have been canceled and 213 have been delayed so far. 

Further cancellations and delays are expected in Catalonia as industrial action over ongoing disputes is set to take place every day until July 28 at the ten airports in Spain where the low-cost carrier operates, including Barcelona and Girona.

Easyjet staff, who have also been demanding improved working conditions over the past few weeks, will be on strike again from July 29 to 31.

In the past week, numerous flights connecting Barcelona to cities across the continent such as London, Milan, Rome, Brussels, and Palma de Mallorca have been canceled, raising the prospect of travel chaos as the summer tourist season returns to Catalonia.

The USO trade union also denounced that the Irish airline Ryanair is firing cabin crew staff members who are striking. According to the union, four workers in Barcelona were sacked, while one more in Girona, and four more in other parts of Spain.

Scores of flights were called off across Catalonia and the continent since the strike started in late June. Workers are demanding a new labor agreement in accordance with Spanish law. 

Dispute

The USO and Sitcpla unions argue that Ryanair employees are treated like "third-class workers" and call on the company to comply with "basic labor rights and court rulings." 

According to them, the low-cost airline should sit down to negotiate "a collective agreement and decent working conditions for all staff."

The union considers the measure of silencing the protest as they "have not obeyed the airline's illegal rules," a statement from the USO union read. 

They also claim that many of the conditions agreed upon are actually based on court rulings won against the company, such as the salary increase of €1,000 in 2022 and €800 for 2023, as well as the fixed schedule of 5 days' work and three days' rest.