Air traffic controllers at Spanish airports have threatened a summer of strikes starting as early as this week if their demands for restructured schedules are not met.
The walk-outs could affect airports on Spain’s east coast and the Balearics, including El Prat in Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca.
According to The Sun newspaper, a representative of an assembly representing workers said their demands were being ignored by the new Spanish government and ENAIRE, the air traffic control service provider.
Workers are asking for more than one day off in every eight and a more consistent rota. They complain that they are often scheduled on a tiring pattern of both night and morning shifts. Staff claim the current structure leads to fatigue, which creates a dangerous situation for Spain’s air space.
The representative told The Sun: “Our conditions are far from being normal. I can assure you that our working situation is the worst in the entire of Europe.”
If the strikes go ahead, flights between the UK, the rest of Europe and Spain could be cancelled or delayed in the height of the holiday season.