Airlines fear waves of strikes during the summer travel season

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European airlines have warned of waves of strikes and massive disruptions to air traffic during the summer season. “With the start of the summer season, there is a high risk that strikes will disrupt the travel plans of millions of passengers,” said airline group A4E on Tuesday. He called on the European Commission to take measures to minimize disruption.

A4E advocates, among other things, that there should be ‘mandatory arbitration’ before the air traffic controller strikes. In addition, a “21-day notice period” must apply to strikes. Special measures must also be taken to ensure that labor disputes in a country do not affect its overflight.

In mid-April, the European air traffic control agency Eurocontrol estimated that some 30 percent of flights in Europe and more than ten million passengers have been affected by strikes by French air traffic controllers since the beginning of March. Some air traffic controllers had joined the protest movement against President Emmanuel Macron’s controversial pension law, which affected not only takeoffs and landings in France, but also overflights.

Massive accumulation of problems

Delays and cancellations due to strikes are not the only annoyance for air travelers on the rise. A study published on Tuesday by data specialist Sita, which specializes in IT solutions for air transport, shows that the increase in air traffic following the corona pandemic was accompanied by a huge increase in baggage transport problems.

In 2022, an average of 7.6 pieces of luggage per 1,000 passengers were lost, damaged or delivered too late. Last year it was 4.35. A total of 26 million pieces of luggage were affected worldwide.

“Having more than halved the error rate between 2007 and 2021, it is now disheartening to see that rate pick up again,” said David Lavorel, general manager of Sita. “As an industry, we have to work hard to ensure that passengers regain the confidence to check in their luggage.” (AFP)

Source: Blick