Several Spanish airports were hit by industrial action by air traffic controllers on Monday, but initial reports suggested there had been little to no impact on fights.
Walkouts by air traffic controllers have yet to cause any disruptions at several smaller Spanish airports affected by strike action, reports have said.
Strike action by air traffic controllers employed by Saerc, the company which provides services at nine airports in Spain, had as of Monday afternoon not caused any delays or cancellations, according to sources at Aena speaking to Europa Press.
Spain’s air traffic controllers strike began on April 17th at midnight and is due to affect works employed by Saerco at Madrid-Cuatro Vientos, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma, El Hierro, La Gomera, Castellón, Burgos, Huesca, Ciudad Real, Vigo, A Coruña, Jerez and Seville airports.
Seville airport in particular was a concern for travellers and Aene alike on Sunday and Monday as the southern city hosted the Copa del Rey final on Saturday and the famous Feria de Sevilla begins on Monday 20th.
Reports from Europa Press, however, suggest the walkouts have not yet caused any travel issues in the Andalusian city.
Vigo and A Coruña airports are operating ‘as normal’ on Monday, Galician media reports.
This comes as more stoppages are taking place by Groundforce employees at airports in Barcelona, Madrid, Alicante, Valencia, Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza, Málaga, Las Palmas, Tenerife, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and Bilbao.
These are also indefinite, and are scheduled on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in three time slots: from 5 am to 7 am, from 11 am to 5 pm and from 10 pm to midnight.
For two days last Wednesday April 8th and Friday 10th, unions agreed to pause strikes, but negotiations are still ongoing.
READ ALSO: Air traffic controllers call strikes at 14 airports in Spain
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How long are the strikes going on for?
Unions have indicated that walkouts are indefinite until air traffic controllers’ demands are met.
Representatives emphasise that their demands “are not economic in nature,” as they are not requesting salary increases or more vacation time, but rather “an increase in staffing levels to guarantee operational safety”.
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What rights do you have if your flight is delayed because of the strikes?
According to Regulation (EC) 261/2004, a flight is delayed “if its effective departure time is deferred from the scheduled departure time by more than two hours or arrives at the final destination three or more hours after the scheduled arrival time”, and this has not been previously changed in the flight schedule.
If this happens, you are entitled to information and assistance, as well as sufficient food and drink, two telephone calls or access to email.
If an overnight stay is necessary, you will also be entitled to hotel accommodation and transportation between the airport and your accommodation.
If the airline fails to fulfil its obligation to provide the above free of charge, the passenger should keep receipts for any expenses incurred in order to claim reimbursement from the airline at a later date.
If the delay is five hours or more, you have the right to decide not to travel. In that case, you will be entitled to a full refund of the ticket price within seven days. On the other hand, if you do decide to travel and you arrive at your final destination two or more hours after the arrival time initially scheduled by the airline, you will be entitled to compensation.
The amount you receive could be anywhere between €125-€600 depending on the length of the scheduled flight, the length of the delay and when you arrive.
READ ALSO: What to do in Spain if your flight is delayed due to strikes
