Europe's travel strikes: Flight and train disruption you can expect in November and December

Passengers look at check-in times for flights during a nationwide strike of airports ground staff, and check-in services at Rome's Fiumicino Airport.
Passengers look at check-in times for flights during a nationwide strike of airports ground staff, and check-in services at Rome's Fiumicino Airport. Copyright AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia
By Euronews Travel with Reuters
Share this articleComments
Share this articleClose Button
Copy/paste the article video embed link below:Copy to clipboardCopied

When, where and what disruption you can expect.

ADVERTISEMENT

The waStrikes are a regular occurrence in Europe, as employees withhold their labour to fight for better pay and conditions.

Walkouts are sometimes planned months ahead but others are announced last minute, showing that it always pays to check before you travel.

Luckily, we have gathered all of the strike information together below.

Read on to find out where and when are walkouts taking place.

If your flight or train is cancelled or delayed, you will be entitled to a new ticket or compensation. Read our guide for the full details.

Spain: Security staff announce airport strike in Alicante

Private security staff at Alicante-Elche airport have announced strikes later this month over working conditions and pay.

Ilunion Seguridad employees will strike on 1-10, 12, 15-17, 19 and 22-31 December; and 1-14 January.

Spanish train strikes called off

Train strikes called by unions representing Renfe and Adif staff have been suspended after negotiators reached a last minute agreement with the Ministry of Transport.

Workers were due to walk out on 24 and 30 November and 1, 4 and 5 December. The strikes were called due to discontent with the transfer of the state operator's Rodalies commuter services to Catalonia.

Renfe planned to cancel almost 1,550 AVE, medium and long distance trains ahead of the walkout, but minimum services would have been maintained during peak travel times.

Spanish airport handling worker strikes called off

Handling staff with the UGT union have cancelled strikes planned for 5 and 10 December. The walkouts would have caused disruption at 46 airports across the country operated by Spanish airport authority Aena.

They were called in protest over working conditions and job uncertainty in the sector.

Italy: Railway workers go on strike

An eight-hour train strike was called in Italy on 30 November following a fatal accident in Calabria. A further 24-hour strike began at 9pm and will continue into 1 December.

An investigation into the incident is underway and the government has promised to invest in new safety systems and level crossings after a train ran into a truck, killing the drivers of both vehicles.

The 1 December strike will last for 24 hours from 9pm and will cause delays and cancellations on Italo, FS Italiane and Trenord trains.

Germany: Threat of train strikes over Christmas

Train drivers in Germany staged a 'warning strike' from on 15-16 November causing delays and cancellations on regional and long-distance transport.

The German Train Drivers’ Union (GDL) says further strikes are possible in Germany over the coming weeks. These are most likely to affect long distance trains.

The GDL is in a long running dispute with train operator Deutsche Bahn over pay and working conditions. It says the latest negotiations have failed.

ADVERTISEMENT

Deutsche Bahn have called for a three-week 'peace agreement' over the Christmas period. This has now been rejected by the GDL, meaning train strikes over the busy holiday period are possible.

France: Train strike this weekend

Workers for SNCF, France's national state-owned railway company, will go on strike on 30 November-1 December in protest over working conditions and staff shortages.

The walkout will not affect the metro but train travellers are advised to check their journey ahead of time.

French train workers threaten Christmas strike

French rail unions SudRail and CGT des Cheminots are threatening strike action over Christmas and New Year. 

Workers are preparing to protest over pay as SNCF begins its yearly pay negotiations with the unions.

ADVERTISEMENT

If the strikes go ahead, they could impact train travel over the busy holiday period, repeating the chaos seen in 2022.

Transport Minister Clément Beaune has said he trusts in the negotiators to find common ground and avoid a strike.

If you know of a big strike happening in your country that we have missed, we'd love to hear from you via Twitter.

Share this articleComments

You might also like