29th SEPTEMBER - GENERAL STRIKE?

After booking flights for Husband and sister, I read that there is a general strike scheduled for 29 September the day they are due to fly back to UK.

I first instinct was to ring Easyjet but have decided to leave it until nearer the time. 

Please think about this date when booking flights.  Easyjet are still taking bookings on the website. 

A couple of years ago our flight was cancelled when airports were closed in UK due to Snow.  It wasn't a pleasant experience as it took us 6 hours at airport before a decision was made and after queueing for ages we managed to get another flight 4 days later.

"The strike, called by the country's two biggest trade union confederations - Comisiones Obreras and Union General de Trabajadores - is against the socialist government's labour market reforms which will make it easier to hire and fire.

These are among a raft of reactionary measures, including a 5 per cent cut to public servants' pay and a freeze on pensions, that Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero pushed through parliament last month with the aid of conservative regional parties.

Specifics of the strike have not been announced, in the past the strike has affected security services, public transportation, cleaning as well as medical and hospital services."

Sorry to be jumping in on this thread at such a late stage but on a practical side.

If the strike goes ahead and your flight is cancelled or you are delayed, there might be an issue if you try to claim from your travel insurance.

The insurers can claim that if you are aware of a pending strike before you are due to travel but travel anyway, you can not make a claim against the airline or your travel insurance. However I do not know what travel insurance you have and it may cover you.  

I think easyjet will use the same reason for not putting you up or compensating you. It might be worth checking the terms & conditions of easyjet and your insurance. 

As a holiday home owner and now also a car owner, this strike will only be a slight annoyance to me.

My main concern is for my husband who must return to work on 29th, as he works shifts he chose to return on the first flight that day, instead of on Tuesday.

Going by what happened with the snow, it could be awhile before he can get back so if it looks like it's going to go ahead then he will not be going out with me.

He's bought himself some new golf clubs and wants to take his old one's out to Spain.  I haven't booked them in and plan to do that just before we all fly out.  I'm hoping that there will be some further news before then, if not I will take it up with Easyjet.

Sometimes they offer a free changeover to another flight, so that could be another option.

My sister doesn't work so she could stay on until she can get on another flight.

Last I heard they had voted to strike but don't know who exactly will be effected.

Easyjet now allowing any flights booked for 29th to be changed to a date 5 days either way.

Took me 2 hours but managed to get last 2 places on a Tuesday flight!

We have flights booked with Ryanair to Luton on Thursday 30........I hope these will still be ok !

Ryanair have said that they are flying on Wed the 29th, but are only accepting hand luggage on all flights,

tomveron..Tthink M.O'L may be a little optimistic if he hopes to get flights into and out of Spain on the 29th. He's just been slagging off all European Air Traffic Controllers and their management. Spanish ATC are required by law to provide a minimal service so it could have an interesting backlash, particurlary since the French ATC are also engaged in an ongoing battle with their management. His comments could really come back and bite him on the ass...not that he'd notice he's so thick skinned he wouldn't feel a thing....

Also see this link

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This message was last edited by foxbat on 24/09/2010.

Here we go again...

First the ash cloud, then ATC strikes, then BAA threats and now this.

We have had to employ a new policy this year of 'shadow booking' items ordered by our clients for an additional week beyond their intended travel dates (for no extra charge of course) so that in the event of them being effected by any flight disruptions, their hired items are not pre-booked out for other visitors to use, leaving them high and dry.

Needless to say, it has been a well practised policy his year!

My son and his girlfriend should have flown home on 23 Sept but due to the French air traffic control strike their flight was cancelled and after queuing for their airline to transfer them onto alternative flights they were given the 29th, they then had to queue for a further couple of hours to be allocated accommodation - which was being picked up by the airline, thankfully as they've spent all their holiday money! I since got an email from the carrier to say under the circumstances I can transfer the flight or risk it - in the meantime all other flights were booking up - the next available as of Saturday 25 was on the 5th Oct! I had to gamble and decide wether to transfer them onto this flight or not as they couldn't guarantee the flight - but since then I have found out that I now have to arrange for their accommodation for 29 Sep to 5th Oct as it was me who changed the flight! However if the flight is cancelled on the 29th then they will pick up the accommodation bill, but they had to go to Palma airport to be told this at the desk as the telephone staff couldn't give this information, so now they've just been to the airport today for a wasted and costly journey to be told they will have to come again on 29th if flight is cancelled to arrange further accommodation! Incidentally when I spoke to the transfer people after telling them what had happened she said that's disgusting - you won't be able to get to the airport on 29th due to the general strike! It's not the airlines fault - but it's the customer who ends up paying in the end, as mentioned in other posts - the airline was also advising you could't travel with hold baggage on that day - so what possible choice do you have! Anyway - all in limbo - what a predicament, it can't possibly do the airlines any good in the long run, wait for the budget airlines going bust now!

After doing  flight search with Ryanair - I note from their website I can book a flight from Palma to East Midlands for the 29th Sept I can also book 2 x baggage, this would have been ideal to get my son and his girlfriend home - however, Ryanair's latest travel news says they will be flying on the 29th but only hand luggage allowed, ok they offer the baggage refund - but they don't mention what you do with your luggage, if you are already out there on holiday, you've taken two suitcases plus your handluggage, what do they propost to do - expect you to just leave all your belongings/presents behind!

By the way for anyone reading these posts - don't you agree there's a distinct lack of news coverage!

There hasn't been that much publicity, although we found out via Spanish TV and websites, and then told our friend whose daughter and family were due to fly back on 29th from Alicante to London with Easyjet.  They hadn't heard anything however managed to change their flights for no cost, although they don't return until Saturday as all flights on Thursday and Friday were full!  Luckily they have somewhere to stay, although they will have to extend the car hire (my friend & her husband have a car but they don't have enough room to take her daughter, her husband and child.)

Sue

By the way for anyone reading these posts - don't you agree there's a distinct lack of news coverage!

 It's been all over the Spanish news and newspapers for the last week or so and all the spaniards are talking about it.  Not sure how big it is going to be.  Those working in the private sector surely aren't stupid enough to go on strike in the current climate?  I guess the public sector wasters will jump at the chance of a day off and there's 4 million unemployed, so maybe there will be a decent turnout...