An urgent travel warning has been issued to Irish holidaymakers ahead of major airport chaos in popular European destinations. Widespread aviation strikes in Greece and Italy have triggered hundreds of flight cancellations.
Airports in Greece and Italy are being hit hard today (Wednesday, April 9), with further delays and chaos expected in the days ahead. In Italy, easyJet cabin crew staged a strike between 10.30am and 2.30pm (local time), impacting flights to and from major hubs like Milan and Naples. The action was coordinated by the Italian Federation of Transport Workers, along with other national unions.
A spokesperson for easyJet said: "We would like to reassure customers that we are doing all possible to minimise any disruption as a result of the strike action and should any flights be impacted we will be contacting customers directly with their options to help rearrange their plans."
Frustrated passengers have taken to social media to express their anger, with one person writing: "IT'S SO OVER. My family and I were supposed to go to Greece for Easter break, but somehow we got stranded in Italy due to the 24 hour strike in Athens?? Everyone is so stressed and feeling hopeless because our flight got cancelled, and we can't find any rebooking options oof."
Another added: "What is Easy waiting for to cancel? With the flight not being cancelled yet and not being provided with an option to refund/ reschedule at no extra cost, we are left not knowing when we are in fact going to Greece and can’t make any plans re this trip! Please advise ASAP!"
Meanwhile, Greek air traffic controllers are participating in a 24-hour nationwide public sector strike, causing widespread flight cancellations throughout the country. The action was called by the two main umbrella unions covering the public and private sectors, who are seeking increases in salaries and a full return of collective bargaining rights, which were scrapped as part of international bailouts during Greece's financial crisis.
As of 7.30am Irish time, flight tracking service FlightAware reported 176 flights cancelled either departing from or arriving at Athens. A further 43 flights linked to Thessaloniki, the country's second-largest city, have been grounded. The popular destination of Rhodes has also saw 19 services cancelled, while 24 flights in both Heraklion and Chania in Crete were also suspended.
Aegean Airlines, Greece's national carrier, has cancelled 82 flights, while around 80 services from easyJet and Ryanair have also been scrapped.
A spokesperson from the Greek Air Traffic Controllers' Association told The Independent: "Unfortunately, air traffic control in Greece is in a bad situation as we have staffing shortages and equipment problems which cause a lot of delays in the last years and will cause a lot this year as well."
Ryanair's Irish website has also issued a warning, stating: "ATC staff shortages across Europe cause delays today (Wed 9 Apr)."
While much of the focus has been on the UK, Irish holidaymakers are also heavily affected, particularly those with connecting flights through Greece en route to the Middle East, Asia or Australia.
According to estimates from AirAdvisor, the wider disruption could lead to the cancellation of up to 80 flights in the UK alone, stranding over 12,000 travellers.
While passengers affected by these cancellations aren't entitled to compensation (as national strikes fall under "extraordinary circumstances"), EU regulations still entitle them to assistance. That includes:
Meals and refreshments during delays
Hotel accommodation (if overnight stay is required)
Transport between the airport and accommodation
A full refund or alternative flight, if the original journey can't be completed
Ivaylo Danailov, CEO of airline compensation experts SkyRefund, said: "The situation for anyone travelling to Greece on holiday looks bleak today with airports like Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol all reporting cancellations to the country. Well over 200 services to and from the country have been grounded, it's a mass cancellation event. In instances like today, holidaymakers are unfortunately not able to claim composition as national strikes are viewed as being out of the airline's hands, and they couldn't have prevented the cancellations.
"Passenger rights to care and assistance, though, remains the same. You are able to claim a refund for your cancelled flight if you do not want to travel and your airline is required to book you on a new service if you still want to make your trip."
Irish passengers are advised to check their flight status directly with their airline and avoid heading to the airport without confirmation of their updated travel plans.
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