Ryanair cabin crew in Spain have scheduled multiple walkouts this month which are expected to affect thousands of passengers.
Workers from unions USO and SITCPLA had planned to walk out on three dates in January for 24 hours each after they failed to reach an agreement with the budget airline over the dispute.
Here’s everything you need to know about the strikes, plus whether you can claim compensation if your flight is cancelled:
When are the strikes?
The walkouts are planned for January 8, 10 and 13, although the first strike on the 8 has been called off.
Purser Manuel Lodeiro who represents Sitclpla told AFP. "Basically it is to give more opportunity for the negotiations to keep going."
Strike action is still planned for a further two dates in January.
Which flights are cancelled?
When the strikes were announced, unions said that 35 per cent of flights to and from mainland Spain with a flight time of less than five hours would be affected.
However, Ryanair have said they are running a full schedule on flights to and from Spain on January 8.
In a statement, they said: “Due to the efforts of the Spanish Government minimum services regulator, and the support of our pilots and cabin crew in Spain, we expect to operate a full schedule of flights to/from (and within) Spain on Tues 8 January.
"All passengers scheduled to fly should check in online as normal and arrive at their departure airport at least 2 hours prior to their time of scheduled departure.”
It is not yet clear whether the strikes will affect flight schedules on January 10 and 13.
Why are staff striking?
Cabin crew are walking out over pay and working conditions.
The budget airline was accused of “refusing to abide by the Spanish constitution” by the unions.
Spain’s USO union said: “We are sorry to provoke a new setback and we have tried to give notice as soon as possible, but it is necessary to cut the problem at the root so that in the future the company complies with the legislation for workers and users.”
Ryanair was forced to cancel hundreds of flights between July and October when pilots and crew walked out over pay and working conditions.
Can I claim compensation if my flight is cancelled?
It’s unlikely you will be able to claim compensation if your flight is cancelled.
If your flight is cancelled due to "extraordinary circumstances," a category under which strikes fall, the airline is under no obligation to offer compensation.
However, in these circumstances, you are entitled to meals, refreshments and accommodation depending on the duration of your flight.
However, after Ryanair refused to offer compensation to customers over previous strikes, the aviation watchdog said in December that Ryanair will face “enforcement action.”
