Europe’s travel strikes: Flight and train disruption you can expect in April and May

Strikes are a regular occurrence in Europe, as employees hold back their jobs to fight for better wages and conditions.

Walkouts are sometimes planned months in advance, but others are announced at the last minute, showing that it always pays to check before you travel.

Fortunately, we’ve gathered all the strike information together below.

Read on to find out where and when the rides are.

If your flight or train is canceled or delayed, you will be entitled to a new ticket or compensation. Read our guide for full details.

United Kingdom: Heathrow Border Force workers strike in April and May

Border Force workers at London’s Heathrow Airport plan to leave April 29 to May 2 on staff layoff plans.

This could cause major disruptions for international flights. A smaller “work to rule” strike between May 3 and 18 could cause more disruption.

Heathrow flights may also be grounded May 4-6 as 50 supply workers stage a 72-hour strike over cuts to their benefits.

Gatwick Airport: Catering workers to strike on easyJet and TUI flights

Passengers on easyJet and TUI flights departing from London Gatwick Airport will go hungry as Dnata catering workers go on strike.

About 100 workers, including HGV drivers and warehouse workers, will be hit April 26-29, May 3-6 and May 10-13. Strike action will intensify if the dispute over pay is not resolved, the Unite union has threatened.

Train stops in April and May

While there is no national train strike planned in the UK, various localized actions are planned for April.

London Underground workers will walk out April 26 with possible last-minute station closures, and disruption continuing into Saturday morning. An overtime ban from April 29 to May 5 could cause further station closures.

Members of the train drivers’ union ASLEF are also set to strike May 8and also to participate in an overtime ban from May 6 to 11, which is likely to mean the cancellation of some lines.

Services affected include Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Great Western Railway and West Midlands Trains.

Belgium: Attacks threatened at Charleroi airport

Brussels Charleroi Airport has issued a strike notice that lasts until the end of April.

Catering staff and baggage handlers are expected to walk out in early May if their concerns about working conditions are not addressed.

France: Air traffic controllers call off strike

SNCTA, the largest union representing air traffic controllers in France, has abandoned the 24-hour plans. strike on Thursday

However, the agreement came too late to reverse the cancellations ordered by France’s civil aviation authority DGAC, meaning many flights will still be grounded. April 25.

It is thought that it could affect up to 75 percent of flights to Paris Orly and other major airports.

More than 300 Ryanair flights across Europe could also be canceled on Thursday due to the strike threat, with members of the smaller unions UNSA-INCA and Usac-Cgt likely to go ahead with the strike.

Could the strikes reach the Paris Olympics?

CGT-RATP trade unionists have announced a 7-month strike notice from February 5 to September 9 that could affect the Île-de-France bus and metro network – including during the Summer Olympics.

However, the French Senate adopted a bill on April 9 to authorize the state to prohibit transport strikes for set periods each year to avoid disruption during major events such as Paris 2024. It also calls for more advance warning of strikes and the increase of minimum service obligations.

The bill faces opposition and must be passed by the French National Assembly before it becomes law.

Workers at the state public transport company say they are going without pay.

Germany: Threat of various attacks ends

On March 25, Deutsche Bahn reached a agreement with Germany’s GDL train drivers’ union, ending five months of negotiations and strikes.

The deal means GDL will refrain from strikes until at least February 2026.

The German Greens union also called off strikes at several German airports after reaching a payment agreement.

If you know of a big strike happening in your country that we missed, we’d love to hear from you via Twitter.