Industrial action is affecting airline passengers in Italy and Greece, while the UK and Belgium are hit by rail walkouts
Strikes are a major source of travel disruption and it can be tricky to keep track of every walkout taking place across Europe.
While some are planned months in advance, others can be announced at the last minute.
These are the strikes you should know about that could affect travel this spring.
24 February: Aviation stike in Italy
From midday on 24 February, easyJet has warned passengers they could face disruption in Italy as three unions call a four-hour strike.
The strike, which includes members of the National Association of Professional Civil Aviation, the Italian Federation of Transport Workers and the Italian General Confederation of Labour, could see flights to and from the UK grounded.
EasyJet says it plans to operate its full schedule – and has reassured customers it’s doing all it can to reduce disruption – but has advised those with flights booked to check their status on its Flight Tracker.
Cabin crew and pilots at Italian airline Aeroitalia are also taking part in the walkout.
28 February: Venice and Milan baggage handler strike
Baggage handlers at Venice Marco Polo airport plan to walk out in a 24-hour strike on 28 February.
They are set to be joined in the industrial action by baggage handlers at Milan’s Bergamo Orio al Serio hub, who are set to strike for four hours, from 12–4pm on the same day.
It’s unclear exactly how much impact the walkouts will have on inbound and outbound flights, but it’s thought they might also affect ground operations including check-in and baggage drop-off services.
28 February: Greek air traffic controller walkout
Also on 28 February, there are fears that all passenger flights in Greece could be grounded if air traffic controllers carry out a planned nationwide strike.
Their planned walkout is part of a general strike which is demanding justice for 57 victims of a train crash south of the Tempe Valley in Greece on 28 February 2023.
If the strike does go ahead, it’s likely air traffic controllers will only handle essential flights, including search and rescue operations, medical evacuations, military call-outs and humanitarian aid deliveries.
Despite this, passenger flights would likely face severe disruption, with many cancellations.
24 Feb: German airport walkouts
There are strikes at two of Germany’s busiest airports – Cologne-Bonn and Düsseldorf International.
The Verdi trade union announced the walkouts on Friday, with a spokesperson telling media there will be “extensive effects on passenger flights at both airports”, and that they are expecting “little air traffic on Monday”.
The union is calling for wage hikes for airport workers, and have threatened further action before their next round of negotiations, set to start on 14 March.
Düsseldorf International is Germany’s fourth-largest airport, handling over 19 million passengers in 2023 alone, while Cologne-Bonn is the sixth-largest airport and an important hub for both passengers and freight.
Until 2 March: Belgium transport
Travellers in Belgium are facing weeks of disruption as strikes kick off across the country.
Last Friday (21 February), a nine-day train strike began; it’s set to run until 10pm on 2 March.
Travellers have been warned to expect significant travel disruption in major cities including Brussels, Antwerp and Bruges. It’s likely that not just trains will be affected but other public transport too, including trams, buses, and metro services.
The National Railway Company of Belgium (SNCB) has confirmed the walkouts will cause disruption, and has advised travellers to regularly check for updates via its journey planner.
On top of these strikes, Belgian airport workers will continue their ongoing strikes every 13th of the month for the foreseeable future, and a general strike has also been called on 31 March.
All of the strikes are a protest against unpopular proposed policies by the incoming coalition government, after Bart De Wever was sworn in as prime minister on 3 February.
Sundays: Avanti West Coast strikes
While Avanti West Coast has called off its strike on 2 March, passengers should use caution over booking trains until the end of May, as train workers plan to restart their ongoing walkouts every Sunday until 25 May.
The strikes will likely see delays and cancelled trains on the UK’s West Coast Main Line, as RMT member workers call for resolution over a dispute over pay for work on rest days.
Avanti says if you booked tickets to travel with the company on a strike day before the industrial action was announced on 17 December, you can use them to travel on alternative travel dates.
If you no longer wish to travel with Avanti, it’s possible to claim a full refund of pre-booked tickets. For full details, see Avanti’s website.
