Brits heading to Spain could face major travel disruption for the rest of the year as significant strike action has been announced.
Ryanair staff in Spain have planned for further strike action following a dispute over pay, jobs, and working conditions.
Two Spanish Ryanair cabin crew unions, Unión Sindical Obrera (USO) and Sitcpla have called for significant strike action that will last five months from August 8 to January 7 2023. It will take place every week, Monday to Thursday, lasting 24 hours.
READ MORE - EasyJet boss can't rule out more disruption for holidaymakers this summer
This comes after 11 members of staff were fired for taking part in strike action this July. Along with their demands for a pay rise and better working conditions, the unions have also called on the Spanish Government to “not to allow Ryanair to violate labour legislation and constitutional rights such as the right to strike”.
While Ryanair have insisted that there was little disruption in July due to the staff strikes, adding that only less than one per cent of scheduled flights were impacted. Meanwhile, according to EuroNews, there were an estimated 310 cancellation and 3,455 delays at 10 Ryanair bases in Spain during the 18 days of strike.
Speaking of the looming industrial action, CEO of Ryanair Eddie Wilson said: "The impact of the strike is minimal, it affects Spain’s reputation more."
While Ryanair bosses ensure customers that disruption will be minimal, it's still worth known your rights if your flight is affected by strike action.
Your rights if a flight is cancelled by strikes
If your flight is cancelled by the airline, the firm must offer you either a full refund or an alternative flight to get you to your destination.
If you have a long wait before the alternative flight, the airline must offer food and drink, access to phone calls and emails and accommodation if you're delayed overnight, as well as journeys between the airport and the hotel. If they don't offer this straight away, keep the receipts and claim it back from the airline.
It's worth noting at what you're entitled to depends on the length of delay and the length of the flight.
| Flight distance | How long the delay has to be |
|---|---|
| Less than 1,500km | two hours |
| Between 1,500km and 3,500km | three hours |
| More than 3,500km | four hours |
If your flight is delayed by more than five hours, you are legally entitled to a full refund for the flight, a full refund for other flights from the airline that you won't use in the same booking and if you are part-way through a journey - a flight back to the airport you originally departed from.
You can see more information at Citizens Advice Scotland.
Can I get a refund if I cancel my flight?
If you cancel your own flight, even if you are worried about strike action affecting the journey, you will not be entitled to any refund unless it comes under certain circumstances (loss of a family member) with Ryanair.
If they change your scheduled flight, Ryanair explains: "Occasionally, due to unforeseen circumstances, we may have to change flight timings before scheduled departure. If this happens, we will notify you of the schedule change via e-mail. The change will also be reflected in your trip details under the “My Bookings” section in your myRyanair account.
"You will be entitled to a full refund of all amounts you have paid to us in connection with that flight, if:
- We change the scheduled departure time by at least 5 hours;
- This is unacceptable to you; and
- We cannot book you on an alternative flight which is acceptable to you.
"Please note that we are not liable for any prepaid expenses directly or indirectly related to the booking affected by the flight time change."
Kevin Pratt, travel insurance expert at Forbes Advisor, said: “Unfortunately, holidaymakers are likely to experience further travel chaos as we head into the busy summer season. The cancellations and delays we’ve seen at airports including Manchester, Heathrow, Birmingham, and Dublin look set to continue, so it’s important that passengers know their rights if they do face travel disruption.
“If your flight is cancelled, you are entitled to a full refund, regardless of whether you took out travel insurance. You should get your money back for the flight you were due to take, plus any onward or return flights that are part of the same booking. If you do still wish to travel, you should then be offered a replacement flight to your destination, even if that means flying with an alternative airline or in a more expensive seat class."
He added: “However, if you are worried about not being able to go on holiday and decide to cancel a flight yourself, you won’t be entitled to any form of compensation, including a refund from the airline or compensation from your travel insurance provider.
"The responsibility lies with the airline if they cancel your flight, and you may also be entitled to compensation if your flight is delayed, so it pays to hold on to your reservation.
“If you’re looking to claim for a cancelled or delayed flight, it’s important to note that travel insurance will only cover costs of travel disruption under specific circumstances. They won’t reimburse you if you can obtain compensation elsewhere, so your airline should be your first port of call. The customer services department for the airline should be able to offer assistance.”
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