Airport and airline staff across Europe are preparing for walkouts this festive season, protesting low pay and poor working conditions.
Union representatives have criticized employers’ “Grinch-style” behavior, accusing them of taking advantage of staff during one of the most expensive and stressful times of the year.
Holiday travel has increasingly become intertwined with strikes, as workers target peak travel periods to amplify their demands.
Some strikes are planned months in advance, giving travelers and airlines time to prepare, while others appear with little warning, sometimes only hours before they begin.
Passengers are being urged to check travel updates regularly, as last-minute cancellations or delays have become increasingly common during the Christmas and winter holiday period.
As the holiday season approaches, European airports and train services face multiple disruptions.
Travelers whose journeys are canceled or delayed may be entitled to rebookings, refunds, or financial compensation, depending on airline or rail policies.
Understanding these rules before traveling can help passengers navigate the disruptions more smoothly.
Italy Braces for Coordinated Airport Walkouts
On 17 December, airport staff across Italy will stage a coordinated strike affecting ground handlers, airline crew, and air traffic controllers.
ENAV staff at Rome airport, responsible for air traffic control, will join the walkout, alongside Assohandlers employees who provide ground services for major airlines such as Ryanair, Wizz Air, and easyJet.
Employees of ITA Airways, Italy’s national carrier, as well as Vueling staff and ground crews for Air France and KLM, will also take part.
The strike will officially run from 1 pm to 5 pm, though disruptions could ripple across airports throughout the day, affecting check-in, baggage handling, and flight schedules.
Airports in Milan, Rome, Venice, Naples, and Catania are expected to see significant delays.
Italy’s civil aviation authority, ENAC, has published a list of guaranteed flights to help travelers plan around the strike.
UK and Spain Face Holiday Travel Disruptions
In the UK, easyJet ground staff at London Luton Airport will strike from 19 to 22 December and again from 26 to 29 December, likely causing delays with check-in and baggage handling.
London Heathrow Airport will also face disruption as Scandinavian Airlines Services (SAS) cabin crew strike from 22 to 24 December and again on 26 December, affecting flights to hubs like Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Oslo.
Unite union members say low pay has forced some workers to rely on food banks while traveling to expensive destinations, and union officer Callum Rochford criticized SAS for exploiting staff goodwill.
He warned that the airline bears responsibility for any canceled Christmas flights resulting from the walkouts.
Meanwhile, in Spain, baggage handlers employed by Azul Handling—Ryanair’s ground service partner—have staged weekly strikes since summer.
Workers are protesting over pay, bonuses, and job security, and strikes will continue until 31 December on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays during early mornings, afternoons, and late evenings.
Passengers traveling through Spanish airports, including Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga, Palma, Alicante, Ibiza, Tenerife South, Seville, and Valencia, may face longer queues and delays at check-in and baggage collection.
More Italian Strikes Scheduled for the New Year
Italy is set to experience further airport disruption in January.
On 9 January, CUB Transporti has called a nationwide four-hour strike from 1 pm to 5 pm, affecting ground staff at airports across the country.
Swissport Italia employees at Milan Linate Airport will also strike on the same day for 24 hours, adding to potential flight delays and cancellations.
Later in the month, ENAV air traffic control staff at Verona airport plan a walkout on 31 January, which could further affect passengers.
Travelers can consult ENAC’s list of guaranteed flights to plan their journeys, but officials warn that the early weeks of January may still see significant disruption across Italy’s airports.
This season’s strikes highlight the ongoing tensions between workers and airlines across Europe, emphasizing the human cost of low pay and poor working conditions while creating challenges for holiday travelers.
