SPAIN: Pilots strike grounds Iberia flights for the third time in less than a month

Record ID: 340608

  • Title: SPAIN: Pilots strike grounds Iberia flights for the third time in less than a month
  • Date: 10th January 2012
  • Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (JANUARY 09, 2012) (REUTERS) PEOPLE LOOKING AT DEPARTURE BOARDS MAN LOOKING AT DEPARTURE BOARD DISPLAYING CANCELLED FLIGHTS DEPARTURE BOARD DISPLAYING CANCELLED FLIGHTS MAN LOOKING DEPARTURE BOARD BOARD DISPLAYING CANCELLED FLIGHTS EMPTY IBERIA'S DEPARTURE DESKS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PASSENGER TRAVELLING TO THE BASQUE COUNTRY, DIANA, SAYING: "No (she
  • Embargoed: 25th January 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Spain, Spain
  • Country: Spain
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAB925UUFI2MS40RFLJ98NT2XUV
  • Story Text: Pilots of the Spanish airline Iberia went on strike for a third day on Monday (January 9), in protest over the company's launch of low-cost airline Iberia Express. It is the third strike in less than a month.
    Run by Iberia's parent company International Airlines Group (IAG), Iberia Express is due to start operating around March and has been created to improve competitiveness against no-frills rivals such as easyJet and Ryanair.
    Pilots are protesting because they believe the new service threatens their jobs and working conditions. IAG denies the claims.
    Some 109 flights were cancelled on Monday (around 35 percent), but disruptions for passengers were minor as information on flight cancellations was made available through Iberia's website and Facebook page.
    Diana who was travelling from Madrid to the Basque country in the north of Spain said that she suffered no disruptions.
    "No (she suffered no disruptions), the flight may be delayed a bit because it is coming from else where but the boarding gate is confirmed so I think today I'm lucky," she said.
    Others who had come from further afield had not been aware of the measures and were more affected.
    Maria Luisa who came from Brazil to study in Spain said the strike will complicate things for travellers like her.
    "I think that it is going to complicate things a bit for travellers like me - I have just arrived from Brazil. One person who was with me has his flight cancelled. He had to go to Venice and has to wait until four o'clock in the afternoon," she said.
    Around 5,200 long-haul travellers and 18,000 other passengers were affected. Iberia said most of the passengers had been rebooked on alternative airlines with the intention of minimise disruptions.
    Iberia pilots held their first strike in December and have warned of a further walk-out on Wednesday (January 11) if IAG doesn't negotiate.
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