Vueling pilots’ strike to affect 246 flights

Pilots of the no frills airline Vueling are to go on strike for two days on April 25 and 26, affecting a total of 246 flights.

The company itself has insisted that 81% of flights are “protected” and “86% of customers will not be affected by the strike.”

100% of flights to the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands will be maintained, while between 30 and 51% of routes within Spain and 51% of international flights will continue.

The pilots are going on strike stating that their situation is “unsustainable.” According to them, the company has failed to comply with the collective growth agreement of pilots, and that they have had to “make many sacrifices for the growth of the company.” The pilot’s union, Sepla, has stated that “more than 120 pilots have left the company since 2017.”

Vueling has expressed that "it regrets the situation" because the strike "will have negative effects" for customers. For its part, Sepla recalled that "90% of the Vueling pilots" support the strike call.

Air traffic controllers also set to strike

It could be a troubled summer for Barcelona Airport again this year. Air traffic controllers have agreed to go on 24-hours strikes from June 20. At an assembly, 85% of the workers decided to join the protest against the lack of staff that they say they are suffering. The air traffic controllers warn that it could lead to a collapse at the airport of Barcelona this summer.  

The administrator of air navigation in Spain, Enaire, has already opened up for the contracting of more air controllers. But according to the air traffic controllers' trade union, USCA, they will not arrive in time for when the air traffic is the busiest, in summer. "It is not a pessimistic outlook, it is realistic," said the trade union's spokesperson. According to USCA, Barcelona Airport already has 9.4% more passengers than it had at this time last year.