EasyJet strikes this Bank Holiday weekend are likely to cause disruption for hundreds of travellers, as pilots at the budget airline will walk out from Saturday 27 to Monday 29 August in Spain, amid a lengthy dispute over pay and conditions.
While the industrial action is solely taking place in the company's Spanish division and not the UK wing, flights into and out of the country will be affected, meaning a knock-on impact for British holiday makers.
When the pilots went on strike last week it resulted in 38 cancellations and many delays, primarily impacting holiday hotspots Palma, Malaga and Barcelona.
The strikes have been called for by Spanish pilot union Sepla, which is demanding that easyJet re-establish pilots' working conditions as they were before the Covid pandemic.
They are also calling for the company to provide its pilots with new multi-year contracts.
The Spanish arm of easyJet has endured a turbulent summer, with members of the cabin crew walking out in July for three day strikes.
The strikes involved 450 members of staff who are based in El Prat (Barcelona), Malaga and Palma de Mallorca, all represented by the Spanish union USO.
A spokesperson for SEPLA said: “During the worst months of the pandemic, we agreed to lower our salaries to guarantee not only jobs, but the survival of the company itself in Spain.
“However, having achieved the objective of reducing the pilots’ working conditions, easyJet announced an increase in the number of planes and pilots at its bases in Barcelona and Palma, and opened a completely new base in Malaga."
Brits heading out to Spain this weekend, or returning from it, should regularly check departure boards to see if there flight has been affected.
An EasyJet spokesperson said: "“easyJet has been formally advised of strike action by its Spain-based pilots union Sepla between 27-29 August at its Spanish bases and unfortunately, we have been required to cancel four flights to and from the UK this weekend, which we have made in advance to allow passengers to rebook.
"We would like to apologise to impacted customers for any inconvenience caused and are doing all possible to minimise any disruption as a result of the strike action, providing those affected with free transfers to alternative flights or a refund as well as hotel accommodation and meals where required.”
"We advise customers travelling to and from Barcelona, Malaga and Palma to check the status of their flights on our Flight Tracker page or manage their bookings using our disruption portal on our mobile app or website."
The company has been contacted for further comment about the latest strikes.
The UK Government advises: "Possible strike action may cause some disruption to flights to and from Spain. You should consult your airline for updates prior to travel."
