Ryanair strike 2022: affected flights, destinations and dates of planned action by Spain cabin crew

Cabin crew based in Spain at Ryanair have announced that they plan to strike for 12 days this month to demand better working conditions.

The announcement came on the final day of the crew’s current strike, which originally began on Thursday, forcing Ryanair to cancel 10 flights in Spain on Saturday (2 July).

As it stands, British holiday goers have faced numerous travel issues amid large scale flight cancellations. Airlines have welcomed measures from the Government designed to help prevent flights being pulled at the last minute over the summer.

Why are they striking?

Spanish Ryanair cabin crew are striking to demand better working conditions from the airline, with staff calling for the same conditions that their counterparts in other European countries, like France and Germany.

USO and SITCPLA met with Ryanair bosses to discuss complaints over working conditions from staff, however, according to reports, the airline walked away from talks with the organisations.

Following the failed talks, Ryanair said the negotiations have “almost made no progress” as a result of “unrealistic demands and refusal to meaningfully engage” from USO and SITCPLA.

In a statement, the USO union said: “The unions and crew of Ryanair show their protest again in this way and demand a change of attitude from the airline.

“They ask [the airline] to resume the negotiation of a collective agreement that includes decent working conditions and under Spanish law for his workers.

“In addition, USO and SITCPLA demand that the Government and, specifically, the Minister of Labor and Social Economy, Yolanda Díaz, not allow Ryanair to violate labour legislation and constitutional rights such as the right to strike.

“In this sense, they ask Díaz to act against a company that does not abide by court rulings, does not comply with the law and uses fear, coercion and threats against its employees.”

The six days of strikes by the Spanish Ryanair cabin crew has already resulted in 215 cancelled flights to and from Spain, and more than 1,255 delays.

Where and when will the strike happen?

Cabin crew will strike for 12 more days throughout July, from 12-15, 18-21 and 25-28, according to a statement from the USO and SICTPLA unions on Saturday.

The strike will affect the 10 Spanish airports where Ryanair operates, with disruptions expected at locations including Madrid, Malaga, Barcelona, Alicante, Sevilla, Palma, Valencia, Girona and Santiago de Compostela and Ibiza.

According to the USO union, the strike from Thursday (30 June) affected airports in Barcelona and Malaga the worst.

Are other cabin crew staff striking?

The announcement from the Spanish Ryanair cabin crew is the latest in a number of staff to threaten strike action.

USO and SITCPLA have also said that they are in conversation with five other unions in Belgium, France, Italy and Portugal over proposed strikes if talks continue to stall.

Striking airport workers in Paris resulted in the cancellation of dozens of flights on Saturday, with more industrial action promised later in July.

Scandinavian carrier SAS and its pilots have also confirmed that wage talks will be continuing through to Monday in a bid to avoid strikes. Almost 1,000 pilots in Denmark, Sweden and Norway plan to strike should talks fall through, according to unions, which SAS says could leave about 30,000 passengers stranded each day.