# Factbox-Europe’s travel disruption set to continue as summer ends Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-09-07 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: Airlines in Disarray: Strikes and Staff Shortages Halt Meta Description: Read about the latest in airline disruptions including strikes, staff shortages, and schedule cuts affecting major airports and passengers as travel resumes URL: https://financedigest.com/factbox-europes-travel-disruption-set-to-continue-as-summer-endshtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-09-06t140757z3lynxmpei850n8rtroptp4eu-emissions-1736815278957-compressed.jpg) (Reuters) – Strikes and staff shortages have forced airlines to cancel thousands of flights to avoid hours-long queues at major airports, dashing hopes for a sizzling first summer following widespread COVID lockdowns with disruption set to continue into the autumn. Here is a summary of some of the key developments: LABOUR UNREST After sweeping job and pay cuts when COVID-19 brought travel to a grinding halt, staff across the industry from pilots to baggage handlers are [asking for big pay](https://www.financedigest.com/7-questions-to-ask-before-paying-off-your-mortgage-early.html "7 Questions to Ask Before Paying Off Your Mortgage Early") 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. \\*\\* SAS and 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. \\*\\* Lufthansa and pilots’ [union VC reached a deal](https://www.financedigest.com/french-uber-drivers-to-earn-more-than-8-per-ride-after-union-deal.html "French Uber drivers to earn more than per ride after union deal") in a wage dispute on Tuesday, averting a second strike that had been planned to start on Wednesday. The [German flag carrier had said earlier on Tuesday that it would make an improved](https://www.financedigest.com/german-regulator-calls-on-allianz-to-improve-controls-source.html "German regulator calls on Allianz to improve controls – source") offer to the pilots. The agreement follows a [strike last week that forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights](https://www.financedigest.com/air-france-cancels-55-of-short-medium-haul-flights-sept-16-due-to-strike.html "Air France cancels 55% of short, medium-haul flights Sept. 16 due to strike"). \\*\\* Employees of Portugal’s [airport handling company Portway went on a three-day strike](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") on Aug. 26 at its main airports in Lisbon, Porto, Faro and Funchal, forcing the cancellation of about 90 flights. \\*\\* Ryanair’s Spanish cabin crew union members [plan to strike from Monday to Thursday every week](https://www.financedigest.com/meta-plans-to-cut-thousands-of-jobs-as-soon-as-this-week-bloomberg-news.html "Meta plans to cut thousands of jobs as soon as this week – Bloomberg News") until Jan. 7 to press [demands for higher pay and better working](https://www.financedigest.com/apples-australian-workers-go-on-christmas-strike-demanding-better-wages-work-terms.html "Apple’s Australian workers go on Christmas strike demanding better wages, work terms") conditions. \\*\\* EasyJet’s Spain-based pilots walked out for nine days in August from 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 ") to demand better working conditions. Cabin [crew in the country suspended a 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 reaching a deal with the carrier. Their previous walkouts on July 1-3 and July 15-17 had caused some flight cancellations and delays. \\*\\* IAG’s low-cost airline Iberia Express cancelled 92 [flights after cabin crew](https://www.financedigest.com/former-astronaut-cunningham-member-of-first-crewed-apollo-flight-dies-at-age-90.html "Former astronaut Cunningham, member of first crewed Apollo flight, dies at age 90") union USO announced a 10-day strike starting Aug. 28. SCHEDULE CUTS 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") cut thousands of flights from their summer schedules to try and ease disruption, while major airports including London’s Heathrow and Amsterdam’s Schiphol have extended caps on passenger numbers into autumn. \\*\\* Having previously [cut its summer schedule and halted ticket sales](https://www.financedigest.com/sap-to-cut-3000-jobs-explore-qualtrics-stake-sale.html "SAP to cut 3,000 jobs, explore Qualtrics stake sale") for short-haul flights departing Heathrow until mid-August, British Airways said on Aug. 22 it would make further cancellations up to the end of October, after the airport extended its cap on passenger departures. It will also reduce its winter schedule by 8%, impacting around 10,000 flights. \\*\\* However, London’s Gatwick airport does not plan to [extend limits on passenger numbers beyond the end of August as it has ramped up security staffing](https://www.financedigest.com/amazon-to-lay-off-staff-in-u-s-canada-and-costa-rica-by-end-of-day.html "Amazon to lay off staff in U.S., Canada and Costa Rica by end of day"), while a Lufthansa board member has said the worst of the flight chaos was over for the German airline. HIRING AND INCENTIVES 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](https://www.financedigest.com/fime-boosts-payment-strategy-security-consulting-key-hires.html "FIME boosts payment strategy on security and consulting with key hires") clearance also takes months. \\*\\* Schiphol, one of Europe’s busiest airports, [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 ($5.25) extra per hour during the summer. It [needed to hire 500 security staff after beginning the season with around 10,000 fewer workers than before the pandemic](https://www.financedigest.com/re-mortgaging-your-home-in-the-middle-of-a-pandemic-what-you-need-to-know.html "Re-Mortgaging Your Home In The Middle Of A Pandemic: What You Need To Know"). \\*\\* Only around 150 airport workers from Turkey were [hired by German](https://www.financedigest.com/adnami-appoints-senior-executives-in-french-and-german-speaking-markets-as-hiring-spree-continues.html "Adnami appoints senior executives in French and German speaking markets as hiring spree continues") airports, far fewer than initially expected. They will help with baggage handling under temporary contracts that will run through early November. \\*\\* Airport security company ICTS, which operates at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle, [offered a one-off 180 euro](https://www.financedigest.com/big-fall-in-euro-zone-inflation-offers-little-help-for-ecb.html "Big fall in euro zone inflation offers little help for ECB") bonus to those delaying their vacation until after Sept. 15 and 150 [euros for staff who sign](https://www.financedigest.com/telecoms-group-orange-signs-sustainability-linked-refinancing-of-6-billion-euros-syndicated-credit-facility.html "Telecoms group Orange signs sustainability-linked refinancing of 6 billion euros syndicated credit facility") up new recruits, a CGT union representative said. ($1 = 1.0007 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 Kirsten Donovan and Milla Nissi) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---