Disruptions in Catalan airports as Ryanair cabin crew continues strike

Irish airline Ryanair has suspended eight flights from Barcelona El Prat airport as of 7:00 pm due to a new day of the cabin crew strike, said the Unión Sindical Obrera (USO) on Monday. 

Further cancellations and delays are expected in Catalonia as industrial action over ongoing disputes concerning working conditions and pay, resumes from Monday to Thursday.

Flights connecting Barcelona to London, Milan, Rome, and Palma de Mallorca have been canceled raising the prospect of travel chaos as the summer tourist season returns to Catalonia.

As for the delays, there have been 35 departures and 35 arrivals from Barcelona, while at Girona airport, there were five departures and four arrivals that were affected. In total, 266 delays across Spain were registered on Monday, including Madrid, Malaga, Sevilla, Valencia, Alicante, Santiago de Compostela, Ibiza, and Palma de Mallorca. 

The strike is set to last until July 28 and has been called for ten airports in Spain where the low-cost carrier operates, including Barcelona and Girona. 

Scores of flights were called off across Catalonia and the continent since the strike started late June. Workers are demanding a new labor agreement in accordance with Spanish law. On Friday, eight Ryanair and six Easyjet flights were canceled in El Prat. According to data from the USO union, Ryanair faced 60 cancellations and at least 867 delays last week. 

Next affected dates

As airlines and airports struggle with staff shortages following the pandemic, chaos at airports across Europe continues. 

Meanwhile, travelers flying with EasyJet have also experienced abrupt trip changes. Here’s what to expect in the following days.

Ryanair: July 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27 and 28, disruptions at the ten Spanish bases (Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Girona, Malaga, Seville, Valencia, Alicante, Santiago de Compostela, Palma and Ibiza).

EasyJet: July 29, 30 and 31, at the three Spanish bases (Malaga, Barcelona and Palma).

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.