Families planning a New Year getaway may find themselves grounded after Spanish airline staff announced they plan to strike after Christmas.
Flights to and from UK airports could be affected by the walkouts at airports in Spain in a row over new contracts. Ground service workers, such as baggage handlers, at Spanish commercial airport operated by state-controlled Aena, are striking and other colleagues like check-in counter staff are also set to down tools.
Aena hired new contractors for services which were previously provided by national carrier Iberia in many airports, angering unions even though the new suppliers committed to retain workers and their working conditions. The strike will affect other airlines. Unions for ground service workers at International Airlines Group-owned Iberia have said that they plan to strike over the New Year. The country’s two main unions UGT and CCOO plan a walkout from December 29 to January 1 and from January 4-7.
Iberia, which has challenged the new contracts in the administrative courts, said in a statement that the strike is “irresponsible” and “makes no sense”. The airline added: “The strikes will cause irreparable damage to the right to holidays and the reunification of friends and families on such important dates.”
Earlier this month, unions called off strikes planned for December 5 and December 10. Iberia argues that “self-handling” baggage would cause “serious harm” to the company’s competitiveness, as well as that of all International Airlines Group (IAG) airlines. IAG is the Anglo-Spanish parent company of Iberia, British Airways, Vueling, Aer Lingus and Level airlines.
Iberia is calling for the unions to call off the strike “immediately.” In Spain, the Christmas season lasts until January 6, when people in the country celebrate Three Kings Day and exchange gifts.