Europe braces for wider airline strikes

With the British Airways strike set to resume this weekend and possibly beyond, continental Europe is bracing for wider turmoil as further airlines plan similar walk-offs.

British Airways has defiantly continued most of its services as the Unite union-led cabin crew strike played out this week, with the projected forecasts of keeping 60 per cent of passengers flying being met according to officials. Several flights were cancelled, however, including some trans-Atlantic trips, and some planes were flown entirely without passengers.

In an action that will reverberate across the continent, Air France crew are set to walk-out on Sunday for up to four days, while TAP Portugal and Lufthansa pilots are also in heated talks. The French Sud Aerien union last week sent out calls for short-notice crews to be placed on standby for medium and short-haul flights in response to what they claim were deliberate efforts by management to sabotage their contracts.

Air France is reviewing its business model as it seeks to enter competition with the burgeoning budget airfare market. Across the country, small delays of around four hours were experienced as flight-attendants, baggage handlers and pilots all partook in minor action that could be a precursor to further activity.

Pilots at TAP Portuguese Airlines have announced that they will be walking off the job on March 31st. The Lufthansa pilots union has also announced that they will be striking on April 13th for four days after current negotiations with management had been unsatisfactory.