Spanish air traffic control strike

daludo

Hi folks,
Heard about this strike threat on news this evening and just couldn't believe it.Our first family sun holiday to Salou is now in serious doubt.We're supposed to be flying Dublin to Reus June 10 leaving around 7am(approx)The kids will be devastated.From yer experience what are the chances of this strike actually going ahead???Is it worth even emailing Ryanair for Info???
Regards
D

jonny_b

daludo wrote: »

Hi folks,
Heard about this strike threat on news this evening and just couldn't believe it.Our first family sun holiday to Salou is now in serious doubt.We're supposed to be flying Dublin to Reus June 10 leaving around 7am(approx)The kids will be devastated.From yer experience what are the chances of this strike actually going ahead???Is it worth even emailing Ryanair for Info???
Regards
D

Was wondering the same. Due to fly to Barcelona the 12th early....

Atlantic Dawn

Have you already got travel insurance?

4 dates listed for strikes, it's quite possible they may have little or no impact on your flights...

The events will take place on June 8, 10, 12 and 14 for two hours each morning and two hours each afternoon across the country

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-3099508/Misery-British-holidaymakers-Spanish-air-traffic-controllers-confirm-four-days-strikes-June.html

jamesbondings

Leaving Santander on the 10th at 9.40 pm....great i thought not during the strikes, however i would assume major delays. Also as it is a late flight there is a chance it will be delayed or even worse cancelled. I HAVE to travel home. What can i do to find out if it is cancelled? I will have to travel two hours to get to the airport so will need up to date info before i bother to travel all the way out to Santander.

I assume if i arrive to the airport and the flight is cancelled, what provisions are made? Santander has no restaurants and the cafe is quite poor, their opening hours aswell are terrible so food is not easily gotten unless you go into the city. Will i have to sleep in the airport? Its all just a huge nightmare for me really at the moment so many unknowns!!?

Loughc

Does Lanzarote fall under this strike as its a Spanish island?

jamesbondings

i would assume so!? why wouldnt it?

Loughc

jamesbondings wrote: »

i would assume so!? why wouldnt it?

Wasn't sure if it just mainland airports affected or not. Oh well that's my holiday ruined haha.

Jamie2k9

It;'s only a 2 hour stoppage in morning and evening, expect delays and the od cancellation but not many.

jamesbondings

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

It;'s only a 2 hour stoppage in morning and evening, expect delays and the od cancellation but not many.

Thats 4 hiurs of normal time for an airport a day...my flight is scheduled to be ine of the last ones out....4 hours late?

Skerries

damn! flying out of Tenerife on the 10th

daludo

Anyone know more about the history of these strikes??do they normally go ahead or is there usually some last minute intervention??? I heard they sometimes use military personnel for traffic control?? My head is wrecked :-S

Loughc

daludo wrote: »

Anyone know more about the history of these strikes??do they normally go ahead or is there usually some last minute intervention??? I heard they sometimes use military personnel for traffic control?? My head is wrecked :-S

All signs are pointing towards this going ahead, there won't be military personnel taking over as it's only 4 hours, 2 in the morning and 2 in the evening.

Expect lenghty delays.

jamesbondings

what about smaller airports like santander, they only have like 2 or 3 flights an hour anyways so i wouldnt expect TOO much of a delay right??? 10 pm flight though do airports have to close at a certain time in spain? so if the backlog of flights dont get out till 11 or 12 at night then would my flight be pushed till morning or cancelled altogether?

Indestructable

I'm due to fly to Tenerife in the 9th at 2.30PM. I presume I'd be safe??? That was lucky. Could I expect delays?

Seems like there are strikes every summer with French or Spanish ATCs. Right pain!

dodzy

Indestructable wrote: »

I'm due to fly to Tenerife in the 9th at 2.30PM. I presume I'd be safe??? That was lucky. Could I expect delays?

Seems like there are strikes every summer with French or Spanish ATCs. Right pain!

I would have thought that canaries could use France & Portuguese airspace, bypassing the Spanish altogether?

I'm due out on eve of 12th to Majorca. Day 3 of the proposed delays. Hopeful it'll be sorted by then.

whatis12

Hi,
Just spoke with a pilot friend of mine about said strike and he said that usually anything before the strike time is pretty ok but afterwards there can be a knock on effect ie if your flight is due to land before the strike starts and is on the ground/ or on approach then lucky you, but when the time comes then anything after that can be delayed.
The only thing is he cant be 100% sure because every air traffic controller union is different and they may not allow for a flight that is to arrive at the deadline time to land and may at the last minute divert the aircraft therefore if an airline isnt 100% sure then they will themselves delay or cancel the flight until the all clear is given. The thing though is that during their up time flights will flow as normal as they can.
So if he is correct anyone flying out on the 8th and is due to arrive and be on the ground before 10am then you should be ok if not any flights between the strike days could be well and truly affected, otherwise keep checking with your airline and the news for updates.
Hope this helps someone!

whatis12

You're correct in your thinking that those flights do actually fly over french and Portuguese air space therefore not being affected by the Spanish Strike but its the landing part that IS affected by the Spanish Strike so if your flight is due in during the strike times you could be very well affected by the strike.

XsApollo

Is this a joke.....
Was going to Madrid a few weeks ago and the French were striking.

Now I am due to go to Barcelona on the 12th from DUB on the 6.15am flight.
Due to arrive in Barcelona at 9.50am

Anybody know what time they plan to do their morning stop.?

whatis12

XsApollo wrote: »

Is this a joke.....
Was going to Madrid a few weeks ago and the French were striking.

Now I am due to go to Barcelona on the 12th from DUB on the 6.15am flight.
Due to arrive in Barcelona at 9.50am

Anybody know what time they plan to do their morning stop.?

@Xs Apollo, the strike times are 10am to 12 and apparently 6pm-8pm so i guess unless there is a major backlog from the night before you just might be ok!

jonny_b

XsApollo wrote: »

Is this a joke.....
Was going to Madrid a few weeks ago and the French were striking.

Now I am due to go to Barcelona on the 12th from DUB on the 6.15am flight.
Due to arrive in Barcelona at 9.50am

Anybody know what time they plan to do their morning stop.?

I'm on the same flight. Hope we will be landed by 9:30 in Barca

XsApollo

whatis12 wrote: »

@Xs Apollo, the strike times are 10am to 12 and apparently 6pm-8pm so i guess unless there is a major backlog from the night before you just might be ok!

Hopefully.
Thanks

XsApollo

jonny_b wrote: »

I'm on the same flight. Hope we will be landed by 9:30 in Barca

Yea Hopefully we get there.

dodzy

Just looking at Flight Radar. Spanish air space seems full enough. No reported delays out of Dublin. Has the first of the 8 walkouts happened ??

EDIT:Just read that the Spanish ATC have estimated 70% coverage during the walkout times. Hopefully any impact will be minimal.



Update: I have been watching Palma (Majorca) periodically and the strike had had zero impact up to now on departures / arrivals. All AL & Ryanair traffic ran as scheduled today as far as I can see. They are running at 70% ATC staffing during the stoppage times. Here's hoping its resolved or we see similar non-impact for the rest of the week