Airport and airline workers across Europe are planning walkouts this holiday season to protest low pay and poor working conditions. Unions have criticized employers for what they call “Grinch-style” behavior, taking advantage of the festive period when travel is most expensive and busiest. With millions of people flying for Christmas and winter holidays, these strikes threaten to disrupt travel plans and create long delays at airports across several countries.
Strikes are becoming a regular feature of the holiday period. Some actions are announced months in advance, giving travelers and airlines time to prepare, while others appear at the last minute, sometimes only hours before they begin. For passengers, that means checking flight and train schedules regularly, staying alert for cancellations, and understanding their rights to rebookings or compensation if delays occur.
Italy Gears Up for Coordinated Airport Strikes
On 17 December, Italian airport staff will stage a coordinated walkout affecting ground handlers, airline crews, and air traffic controllers. ENAV staff at Rome airport, responsible for managing air traffic, will take part, along with Assohandlers employees who handle ground services for major airlines including Ryanair, Wizz Air, and easyJet. ITA Airways staff, Vueling employees, and ground staff for Air France and KLM will also join the action.
The strike officially runs from 1 pm to 5 pm, but travel disruption could extend throughout the day. Passengers should expect delays at check-in counters, longer lines at baggage collection points, and possible flight cancellations at major airports including Milan, Rome, Venice, Naples, and Catania. Italy’s civil aviation authority, ENAC, has published a list of flights that will continue to operate to help travelers plan their journeys.
UK and Spain Brace for Holiday Travel Disruption
In the UK, easyJet ground staff at London Luton Airport will strike from 19 to 22 December and again from 26 to 29 December. Passengers should anticipate potential delays with baggage handling and check-in services. London Heathrow Airport will also see disruption, with Scandinavian Airlines Services (SAS) cabin crew striking from 22 to 24 December and again on 26 December, affecting flights to hubs such as Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Oslo.
Unions say low pay has forced some airline workers to rely on food banks while traveling to expensive hubs. Unite union officer Callum Rochford condemned SAS, describing their actions as taking advantage of staff goodwill and leaving travelers at risk of canceled Christmas flights.
In Spain, Ryanair’s ground handling partner, Azul Handling, has staged weekly strikes since summer over pay, bonuses, and job security. These strikes continue until 31 December, with walkouts on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at various times of day, including early mornings, afternoons, and late evenings. Passengers at airports such as Madrid-Barajas, Barcelona-El Prat, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Tenerife South, Seville, Alicante, Ibiza, Valencia, Girona, Lanzarote, and Santiago de Compostela may encounter long queues, delayed check-in, and slower baggage collection.
Further Italian Strikes Planned in the New Year
Even after the Christmas period, Italian airports will continue to see disruptions. On 9 January, ground staff represented by the union CUB Transporti will stage a nationwide four-hour strike from 1 pm to 5 pm. Swissport Italia staff at Milan Linate Airport will also walk out for a full 24 hours, potentially delaying flights and creating long lines for passengers.
Later in January, on 31 January, ENAV air traffic control staff in Verona are set to strike, which may cause additional disruptions to flights. ENAC has published lists of guaranteed flights to help passengers navigate the impact, but travelers should continue to monitor their flight status closely and plan for extra time at airports during this busy winter period.
These strikes highlight ongoing tensions between airport and airline workers and their employers, showing how crucial staffing and fair pay are to keeping travel running smoothly, particularly during the busiest time of the year.
