# Europe’s summer travel chaos
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-08-02
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: Airlines Disrupted: Labour Unrest and Strikes Hit Summer
Meta Description: Labour unrest and reduced schedules lead to flight cancellations and long queues at airports, disrupting travel plans during the summer season.
URL: https://financedigest.com/europes-summer-travel-chaoshtml

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(Reuters) – Strikes and staff shortages are forcing airlines to cancel thousands of flights and causing hours-long queues at major airports, dashing hopes for a sizzling first summer following widespread COVID-linked lockdowns.

Here is a summary of some of the key developments:

LABOUR UNREST

After sweeping [job cuts and pay](https://www.financedigest.com/best-paying-jobs-in-natural-gas-distribution.html "Best paying jobs in natural gas distribution") cuts when COVID-19 brought travel to a grinding halt, staff across the industry from pilots to baggage handlers are asking for big pay increases and better working conditions.

Norwegian Air in June agreed a 3.7% [pay rise](https://www.financedigest.com/unicredit-shareholders-urged-to-reject-ceo-orcels-pay-rise.html "UniCredit shareholders urged to reject CEO Orcel’s pay rise") for pilots among other benefits, in a sign of what other airlines may have to offer to avoid labour strife..

Scandinavian carrier SAS and Ireland’s Ryanair in July agreed terms with some unions representing their pilots, while British [Airways and KLM signed wage](https://www.financedigest.com/ita-airways-averts-strike-after-wage-increase-accord-with-unions.html "ITA Airways averts strike after wage increase accord with unions") deals with ground staffers, as strikes affected hundreds of thousands of travellers in the key holiday period.

\\*\\* Portuguese airports

Portugal’s civil aviation workers on Aug. 1 threatened to go on strike on Aug. 19-21, a usually [busy summer weekend for travel](https://www.financedigest.com/5-business-ideas-influencing-the-travel-industry.html "5 business ideas influencing the travel industry"). Two unions representing workers accused airport operator ANA, which manages 10 airports in Portugal including in Lisbon, Porto and Faro, and French group Vinci, which controls ANA, of making multi-million euro net profits but not [paying decent wages to their workers](https://www.financedigest.com/thousands-of-british-postal-workers-walk-out-over-pay.html "Thousands of British postal workers walk out over pay").

\\*\\* Lufthansa

Pilots at the [German flagship carrier voted on July 31 in favour of industrial](https://www.financedigest.com/german-new-passenger-car-registrations-up-3-in-august-industry-source.html "German new passenger car registrations up 3% in August – industry source") action. Pilots union VC’s [board member said the vote](https://www.financedigest.com/hsbc-board-recommends-shareholders-vote-against-spin-off-resolution.html "HSBC board recommends shareholders vote against spin-off resolution") did not necessarily mean a strike would happen and that they were ready to negotiate. Lufthansa said on Aug. 1 that negotiations to solve the pay dispute were ongoing.

VC is demanding a 5.5% pay rise this [year for its pilots and automatic inflation](https://www.financedigest.com/spains-inflation-to-be-lower-this-year-than-in-2022-minister.html "Spain’s inflation to be lower this year than in 2022 -minister") compensation thereafter.

Lufthansa was already rocked by a ground staff strike on July 27, which forced it to [cancel more than 1,000 flights](https://www.financedigest.com/southwest-cancels-thousands-more-flights-u-s-government-vows-scrutiny.html "Southwest cancels thousands more flights; U.S. government vows scrutiny"). The Verdi union is demanding a 9.5% [pay hike](https://www.financedigest.com/factbox-european-companies-offer-one-off-bonuses-hike-pay-amid-cost-of-living-crisis.html "Factbox-European companies offer one-off bonuses, hike pay amid cost-of-living crisis") for around 20,000 workers and warned more industrial action could be on the cards.

\\*\\* Ryanair

Ryanair’s Spanish cabin crew union members plan to [strike four days a week until January to press demands for higher pay](https://www.financedigest.com/in-inflation-hit-germany-massive-strike-over-pay-to-cripple-transport.html "In inflation-hit Germany, massive strike over pay to cripple transport") and better working conditions, the USO union said on July 27. The [strike action](https://www.financedigest.com/britain-braces-for-winter-of-strike-action-as-nurses-walk-out.html "Britain braces for winter of strike action as nurses walk out"), also backed by Sitclpa, will take place from Monday to Thursday every week from Aug. 8 to Jan. 7.

[Ryanair workers also caused disruption at many Spanish airports](https://www.financedigest.com/ryanair-says-british-airports-to-struggle-this-christmas.html "Ryanair says British airports to struggle this Christmas") during July, when they walked out for several days, mainly on weekends.

\\*\\* Easyjet

Spain-based pilots at Easyjet said on [July 29 they would strike for nine days in August](https://www.financedigest.com/european-new-car-sales-down-in-july-august-acea.html "European new car sales down in July, August – ACEA"). The pilots will strike from the bases in Barcelona, Malaga and [Palma in Mallorca](https://www.financedigest.com/island-tourism-takes-off-as-easyjet-reveal-palma-de-mallorca-as-their-first-ever-seasonal-base.html "Island tourism takes off as easyJet reveal Palma de Mallorca as their first ever seasonal base ").

Meanwhile, Spain-based cabin [crew suspended their strike](https://www.financedigest.com/offshore-crews-to-strike-on-bps-north-sea-installations-says-unite.html "Offshore crews to strike on BP’s North Sea installations, says Unite") planned for July 29-31 after it reached a deal with the company. The [workers went into strike](https://www.financedigest.com/uks-royal-mail-workers-to-strike-in-run-up-to-christmas.html "UK’s Royal Mail workers to strike in run-up to Christmas") previously in July, first on July 1-3 and again on July 15-17, which caused some flight cancellations and delays for the budget airline.

REDUCED SUMMER SCHEDULES

Airlines, including Lufthansa, British Airways, easyJet, KLM and [Wizz Air](https://www.financedigest.com/wizz-air-loses-fight-against-67-million-in-state-aid-for-romanian-rival.html "Wizz Air loses fight against million in state aid for Romanian rival"), have cut thousands of flights from their summer schedules to cope with the disruptions, while major airports including London’s Heathrow and Amsterdam’s Schiphol capped passenger traffic.

[British Airways](https://www.financedigest.com/british-airways-not-currently-using-afghanistan-airspace.html "British Airways not currently using Afghanistan airspace") on Aug. 2 halted ticket [sales on flights to domestic and European](https://www.financedigest.com/european-junk-debt-sales-spring-back-to-life-as-sentiment-improves.html "European junk debt sales spring back to life as sentiment improves") destinations from Heathrow until Aug. 8 after the airport’s request to limit new bookings.

On Aug. 2, Schiphol said the passenger cap it introduced earlier for the summer season to cope with long waiting times and other logistical problems would be extended into September and October.

[HIRING SPREE](https://www.financedigest.com/jpmorgan-readies-overseas-retail-expansion-with-german-hiring-spree.html "JPMorgan readies overseas retail expansion with German hiring spree") AND INCENTIVES

[Airports and airlines are scrambling to hire more workers from pilots to security and border control staff](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-airports-face-christmas-disruption-as-border-staff-to-strike.html "UK airports face Christmas disruption as border staff to strike") and baggage handlers after many left during the COVID-19 crisis.

Industry executives say it is hard to recruit for often physically demanding, relatively [low paid work](https://www.financedigest.com/low-use-of-shortened-work-hours-points-to-mild-german-recession-ifo.html "Low use of shortened work hours points to mild German recession – Ifo") at airports often located out of town. Training new hires and getting them [security clearance to work](https://www.financedigest.com/combating-the-security-risk-of-remote-working.html "Combating the security risk of remote working ") at airports also takes months.

\\*\\* Schiphol [agreed to pay](https://www.financedigest.com/eu-agrees-law-to-make-airlines-pay-more-to-pollute.html "EU agrees law to make airlines pay more to pollute") 15,000 cleaners, baggage handlers and security staff 5.25 euros ($5.50) extra per hour during the summer.

One of [Europe’s busiest airports needs](https://www.financedigest.com/europe-power-firms-need-1-5-trillion-euros-in-margin-calls-equinor-says.html "Europe power firms need 1.5 trillion euros in margin calls, Equinor says") to hire 500 security staff. It [currently has 58,000 workers](https://www.financedigest.com/more-than-half-of-workers-are-open-to-leaving-their-current-employers.html "MORE THAN HALF OF WORKERS ARE OPEN TO LEAVING THEIR CURRENT EMPLOYERS") at and around the airport, 10,000 fewer than before the pandemic.

\\*\\* Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports in Paris [need to fill 4,000 jobs mainly in security](https://www.financedigest.com/the-financial-services-industry-needs-to-get-serious-about-cyber-security-in-the-covid-19-era.html "The financial services industry needs to get serious about cyber security in the Covid-19 era"), maintenance and travel retail, according to airport operator Groupe ADP and the CDG Alliance.

More than 20,000 people were laid off at Charles de Gaulle during the pandemic, according to the CGT union.

Airport security company ICTS, which operates at Charles de Gaulle, is offering a one-off 180-euro bonus to those delaying their vacation until after Sept. 15 and 150 euros for staff who sign up new recruits, according to a CGT union representative.

\\*\\* Frankfurt Airport, Germany’s busiest hub, has rehired nearly 1,000 ground services employees after cutting about 4,000 during the pandemic, but will continue to [see disruptions due to lack of workers in the next](https://www.financedigest.com/britains-next-sees-lower-profit-in-2023-as-consumer-outlook-darkens.html "Britain’s Next sees lower profit in 2023 as consumer outlook darkens") two or three months, its operator Fraport has said.

Germany plans to fast-track [work permits and visas for several thousand foreign airport workers](https://www.financedigest.com/1-in-5-uk-workers-believe-there-is-a-gender-divide-with-work-uniforms.html " 1 in 5 UK workers believe there is a gender divide with work uniforms"), mainly from Turkey, to help to ease the travel chaos.

According to the ADV airport association, about one in five jobs in security, check-in and aircraft handling is unfilled at German airports.

($1 = 0.9933 euros)

(Reporting by Klaus Lauer in Berlin, Juliette Portala and Caroline Paillez in Paris, Toby Sterling in Amsterdam, Paul Sandle in London and Reuters bureaus; Compiled by Boleslaw Lasocki, Antonis Triantafyllou, Tiago Brandao and Marie Mannes in Gdansk; Editing by David Evans, Bernadette Baum, Milla Nissi and Louise Heavens)


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