# Factbox-Europe’s travel disruption stretches into autumn
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-09-30
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: Summer Flight Chaos: Strikes and Staff Shortages
Meta Description: Discover how staff strikes, schedule cuts and passenger caps are causing disruption at major airports post-COVID lockdowns. Learn more now.
URL: https://financedigest.com/factbox-europes-travel-disruption-stretches-into-autumnhtml

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(Reuters) – Strikes and staff shortages forced airlines to cancel thousands of flights to avoid hours-long queues at major airports in the first summer following widespread COVID lockdowns, with disruptions set to continue deep 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.

\\*\\* European flights [faced widespread disruption](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 Sept. 16 as a French [air traffic controllers’ strike forced airlines to cancel half of those scheduled to arrive or depart Paris airports and others due to have flown over France](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").

Ryanair said the [travel plans of 80,000 passengers had been affected as it cancelled 420 flights](https://www.financedigest.com/asias-airlines-ramp-up-flights-offers-as-tough-covid-travel-curbs-ease.html "Asia’s airlines ramp up flights, offers as tough COVID travel curbs ease"), mainly intended to fly over France.

\\*\\* 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.

\\*\\* 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 Sept. 6, [averting a second strike](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") after the first one forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights.

\\*\\* 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 ").

Cabin [crew in the country suspended a three-day 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 late July after reaching a deal with the carrier.

\\*\\* SAS and Ryanair in July agreed terms with pilot unions, while British Airways and KLM [signed deals](https://www.financedigest.com/italys-nexi-signs-digital-payments-deal-with-tims-olivetti.html "Italy’s Nexi signs digital payments deal with TIM’s Olivetti") with ground staffers.

\\*\\* 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.

SCHEDULE CUTS, CAPS ON PASSENGERS

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.

\\*\\* Schiphol said on Sept. 29 it would reduce daily [passenger numbers](https://www.financedigest.com/ryanair-passenger-numbers-rise-in-august-to-11-1-million.html "Ryanair passenger numbers rise in August to 11.1 million") by around a fifth until at least March 2023. The airport is struggling to find a [way to solve a shortage of security](https://www.financedigest.com/contactless-payments-the-way-of-the-future-or-security-scare.html "Contactless Payments – The Way of the Future or Security Scare?") staff. Earlier in the month, Schiphol said it would reduce daily passenger numbers by 18% until at least Oct 31.

\\*\\* 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.

\\*\\* Meanwhile, London’s Gatwick airport said it would not extend limits on [passenger numbers beyond August](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") after it ramped up security staffing, while a Lufthansa board member has said the worst of the flight chaos was over for the 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 clearance also takes months](https://www.financedigest.com/stablecoin-tether-hires-bdo-italia-for-monthly-proof-of-reserve-reports.html "Stablecoin Tether hires BDO Italia for monthly proof-of-reserve reports").

\\*\\* 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 ($5.25) 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/uk-sees-biggest-rise-in-foreign-workers-since-covid-19-pandemic.html "UK sees biggest rise in foreign workers since COVID-19 pandemic").

\\*\\* 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.

\\*\\* Only around 150 airport workers from Turkey were [hired by German](https://www.financedigest.com/jpmorgan-readies-overseas-retail-expansion-with-german-hiring-spree.html "JPMorgan readies overseas retail expansion with German hiring spree") airports, far fewer than initially expected. They will help with baggage handling under temporary contracts that will run through early November.

($1 = 0.9978 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, Milla Nissi and Mark Potter)


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