Spanish Air Traffic Controllers Strike - Advice and Information

Summary: The Spanish Union of Air Traffic Controllers (USCA) has confirmed that an air traffic controllers strike will go ahead on 18 August, following a vote in favour of industrial action.

When will the strike take place?

A spokesman for the air traffic controllers announced that the strike is expected to start on Wednesday 18 August. Reports indicate that it will last for at least 3 or 4 days.

Alternative routes to Spain:

If you are one of the affected travellers please take note of the following list of alternative travel routes to Spain. These include ferries and rail services to cope with any cancelled or delayed flights.

You also have the option of catching a flight into a neighbouring country, but you will need to contact your airline directly about flight schedules and costs.

Via Ferry:

Brittany Ferries:

• Trips between Portsmouth and Santander on Tues, Wed, Fri (journey takes 24 hours)
• Trips between Plymouth and Santander on Sundays (takes 20 hours)
• Prices start at £301 for a car with two passengers
• Visit www.brittany-ferries.co.uk for more information or call them directly on 0871 244 0744

P&O Ferries:

• Runs every 3 days from Portsmouth to Bilbao until 27 September
• Departs at 9.15pm and arrives at 8am on the third day (cruising for 2 nights)
• For more details visit www.poferries.com or call 08716 64 20 20

Via Rail:

• Eurostar trains: Go from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord, then take an overnight Tren hotel train from Paris Gare d'Austerlitz to either Madrid or Barcelona
• AVE high-speed rail network: Go from Madrid or Barcelona to the Spanish city of your choice - see www.renfe.com for fare information and timetables

Airline advice for passengers:

British Airways: Hopeful that the strikes will not go ahead, a BA spokesperson said, "We deal with European air traffic strikes every summer and we work around them. It's too early to say whether this one will actually take place. Not that much of our operation goes to Spain in comparisan to operations such as Ryanair and easyJet."

EasyJet: Make sure that you check the status of your flight before heading to the airport. If your flight has been cancelled, you'll be transferred to another direct flight free of charge. Alternatively, if you no longer want to fly to your destination, you can get a refund. You can also opt for alternative transport and claim a refund from EasyJet at the end of your journey.

Ryanair: If your flight is cancelled due to strike action, you are unfortunately not eligible for compensation from the airline.

Background information about the imminent strikes:

In February, the Spanish government cut air traffic controller salaries by 40%. A recent decree also increased their working hours and lowered the number of breaks they could take during shifts.

The Spanish Air Traffic Controller Union (USCA) ballot showed that 98% of it's members were in favour of a strike. This response was in disagreement with the government's claim that the decree would improve working conditions.

Hundreds of thousands of British holidaymakers are expected to feel the effects later this month when more than 2,000 air traffic controllers put down their tools.