Easter Airport Strike

[Mark]

This thread from last year:
http://www.forum.puertopollensa.com...majorca/6370-air-traffic-control-strikes.html

suggests that air traffic controllers earn as much as 300,000 euros and they are still not happy.

 

[andrew711]

Mark, this isn't so much an air-traffic controllers' dispute; their leaders are currently under threat of several years imprisonment arising from the previous walk-out. The unions are pretty antagonistic towards the air-traffic controllers as it is, mainly because they earn so much (their pay has now been settled at 200k per annum). The current dispute has to do with personnel such as fire crews.

The chances are that the strikes will not happen, but damage is being done just because of the publicity. The regional government, though it opposes the strikes, is a bit equivocal on all this, as it also opposes privatisation because it wants to get its hands on Palma airport and manage it itself.

 

[Fencer]

If the guy from Ryanair is asking the EU for assistance in this matter then he is obviously concerned.
It is a shame for all people due to travel on those dates. or even around those date as there will surely be a knock on effect.
Spanish airport unions are comitting suicide. Tourism is the major money making sector for Spain at the moment, due to the "economic down turn", and all they want to do is shoot themselves in the foot. I will not be booking flights back to blighty any where near those dates. Keep on booking those hols we still want to see ya.

 

[copper]

British papers and news are full of this today so it needs settling sooner rather than later as I know several people who got caught out by BA ,Volcanic Ash ,Snow !! and are thinking that going on a Cruise is easier !!

It is the knock on effect with it all as ther are so many dates ! I cant believe two of my holidays could be affected !!

 

[ironmanuk]

I'm flying on the 30th April and am now wondering wether to change to the 29th,it will cost me £82 with easyjet to change but I would rather do that than miss out.
The longer I leave it the more it is going to cost but can I wait to see if it is resolved?????????

 

[Belladonna]

Yep, had this dilema ourselves. Were travelling out on the 20th, have now changed with easyjet to the 19th in order to be sure. Change of date costs plus new flight costs came to £110. Not going to change the car hire on line as this proved SO difficult last time, will just wing it (pardon the pun) when we get there. I'm sure we have now spent the extra money that the strike will be called off, whereas it would have definitely gone ahead if we had chanced it, but what the heck, I wangled another day's holiday out of it! Would rather be stuck out there than stuck at Gatwick!!

 

[CathB]

I had already changed our flights from sat 23rd to Friday 22nd to take advantage of the earlier flight (yes it cost me £100 too)...on the list of dates the 22/4 isnt mentioned but our return date of 2/5 is...so I wonder what will happen

 

[andrew711]

Just to let you know ... Negotiations between the unions and AENA that have been going on today have broken down this evening with no agreement. AENA has given a proposal for the unions to study, but for the time being the strike threat remains.

 

[lovethepinewalk]

Morning All,

Coming over on the 15th of May ourselves, but gonna take a chance & not re-book the flights.....Reckon that when the pinch point of getting near to Easter raises it's head, then all sides will see a bit of sense, & talk themselves into an agreement........

Also as stated before with the economy of Spain in such a mess, I'm sure the Spanish government will apply pressure for a solution......

All a bit of brinkmanship really!!!!!!;

 

[Belladonna]

I think you are probably right there LTPW (or can we just call you Love?!) I feel that if they are going to strike it will be the Easter one, just to try and show they mean business. Anything longer is more likely to elicit a compromise with the government without loss of face. Here's hoping!

 

[lovethepinewalk]

Here's hoping as well Belladonna...

& Yes you can call me Love, I've been called a lot worse in my time.....In return can I call you Bella?....

I suppose at the end of the day with airport strikes, it's a bit like dealing with the London Underground & the RMT, nothing is hardly ever achieved with them, & they can inconvenience everyone, but they have a democratic right to strike, just make them do it in November or February......

With apologies for people who go on holiday then....

 

[pollensa]

Hi there, can anyone tell me what easyjet are charging to change a flight please. I know that you have to pay the difference in flight cost plus a charge for changing but I can't find out what the actual 'charge' is. This is for someone else so I can't log in & try it out. Thanks.

 

[debz1]

Hi Zelda the cost for a flight/ name change is £30 plus any difference in the fare

 

[sws97sdg]

That's per person, Per flight isn't it Debz, it cost me £120 to change the dates of our two flights from Jan to April

 

[CathB]

yes it is per person/per flight.....my cost was just over £100 to change to an earlier flight

 

[pollensa]

Thanks very much. My son is booked to come out at Easter (on one of the strike days) but they are all short of cash to it's very difficult to advise them to change their flights.

 

[Belladonna]

Yes Zelda. They charge the £30 change of flight; then the extra for the flight difference THEN also charge you for using your card again!! It can of course all be changed on the orginal booking on line. Nice little earner for them when we are all suffering already! At least we managed to make it that we get another day's holiday out of it over easter - I hope your son manages the same.

 

[lovethepinewalk]

Threatened Industrial Action....

Good Morning All,

Does anyone have any update re the above after the breakdown of initial talks last week.....

There wasn't anything in the British Press, as far as I read anyway.....

Is there any planned resumption of talks?.....


Any update would be much appreciated.....

 

[andrew711]

There has been no date set for further talks, as yet, but the noises are quite encouraging - from the government anyway. The biggest stumbling blocks appear to involve Barcelona and Madrid airports.

 

[kate1]

Well, have just changed my flights, at great expense, so it's probably safe to say it will all be called off by tonight... Seriously, I do hope so for the sake of tourism. Apparently the Spanish Government would consider declaring a state of emergency which would force airport workers to stay at work. Can't believe it will come to that...