News

Last Sunday many flights were cancelled or delayed because of an IT malfunction at check-in systems and departure signs at London Heathrow Airport. Thousands of passengers were affected by this IT meltdown.

The strikes of union members of the French Air Traffic Control seem never-ending. After the strike of last Thursday, January 9 2020, another strike was called for starting yesterday at 17.00, lasting until Friday, January 17.

December 5, 6 and 7 was marked by strikes of French Air Traffic Control, causing disruptions on flights from, to and over France. Thousands of passengers were affected by the strikes. On December 10, unions representing the air traffic controllers went on strike again. It seems we are nowhere near the end of the strikes this month.

A large technical issue in the systems of British Airways has led to long delays and several cancellations on long distance flights. Thousands of passengers are affected by, what seems to be, the effects of a power issue.

The largest airline of Thailand, Thai Airways, is in financial trouble. Amidst the huge losses and rising debts as results of the ever-growing competition, Thai Airways barely survives among the budget carriers. Thai Airways front man, Sumeth Damrongchaitham, now wants to cut the paychecks of management.

Hundreds of Catalan protesters were able to partially shut down Barcelona El Prat Airport yesterday evening after the High Court of Spain gave prison sentences varying from 9 to 13 years to nine political activists and leaders of the Catalan Independence Referendum of 2017. In Madrid, protesters blocked several access roads to the airports.

One of the biggest holiday carriers, Thomas Cook, filed for bankruptcy last night, leaving more than six hundred thousand (!) passengers across the world stranded at their holiday destinations. 150.000 British passengers are awaiting the biggest repatriation ever in peacetime. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is taking responsibility for retrieving British passengers to the United Kingdom.

Pilots of British Airways are going on strike for five days in September. Thousands of passengers are going to be affected by the strike.

The Portuguese union SNPVAC is going on strike between 21 and 25 August on flights of Irish budget airline Ryanair. This will cause disruption on Ryanair flights operated by Portuguese personnel, flights from and to Portugal.