Travel may be disrupted in Europe this summer on these dates, so plan accordingly
Editor's Note
Word to the wise: Bookmark this page immediately. It might just become the most useful travel document after your passport this summer.
Strike action has spread like wildfire throughout the European travel sector in recent months, affecting all kinds of services as workers demand better conditions and pay following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
Some of the disputes have been resolved. Last month, SAS struck a deal with its pilots after they went on strike, while British Airways narrowly averted a strike of 700 check-in and ground staff members at London's Heathrow Airport (LHR).
With that in mind, we've put together a handy guide to let you know what's affected, where it's being affected and when.
From proposed union strikes across the continent to the raft of "planned" cancellations designed to ease the pressure on airport and airline staffs during the school holidays, here's what you should know.
Now-Aug. 31: London Gatwick flight cap
Not a strike per se, but nonetheless a major dent in thousands of travel plans: London Gatwick Airport (LGW) has announced a cap on flights during the peak summer months.
This follows pressure from the Civil Aviation Authority and Department for Transport for airports in the United Kingdom to cancel early rather than resort to a slurry of last-minute cancellations, as we've seen over recent months.
Related: Will other UK airports follow Heathrow's lead and limit passenger numbers?
The U.K.'s second-busiest airport is keen to avoid a repeat of the chaos that accompanied the Easter and Jubilee breaks, and is cutting the number of daily flights to 825 in July and 850 in August (normally the number is over 900).
EasyJet flyers beware: Few airlines will be as hard hit due to these Gatwick cancellations as the low-cost colossus which is based at the airport and has already canceled thousands of flights this year alone.
Aug. 8, 2022-Jan. 7, 2023: Spanish Ryanair staff strike
Spanish cabin crews for Ryanair have voted to strike across the country between Aug. 8, 2022, and Jan. 7, 2023. Avoiding peak weekend traffic, the action will take place every week from Monday to Thursday.
On top of better pay and working conditions, the Sindical Obrera and SITCPLA unions call for the 11 staff members fired during recent strikes to be given back their jobs.
While the airline is downplaying the action as "minimal," it is set to affect services from Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga, Alicante, Seville and Palma de Mallorca.
In response to the planned action, the airline said: "Ryanair has recently reached an agreement with the main Spanish CCOO union on pay, rosters and allowances for its Spanish cabin crew. Recent strikes by USO/SITCPLA have been poorly supported with minimal effect."
"Ryanair has operated over 45,000 flights to/from Spain over the last 3 months with less than 1% affected by crewing and Ryanair expects minimal (if any) disruption this winter."
Aug. 12-29: Spanish easyJet staff strike
Fellow budget operator easyJet is also facing more strike woes in Spain after pilots based in the country voted to strike for nine days this month.
The Spanish aviation sector has been awash with strike action this year — not least from easyJet cabin crews who staged walkouts July 1-3 and then again July 15-17.
Some strike action was averted in July, but the next action is set to take place during the following periods:
- Aug. 12-24.
- Aug. 19-21.
- Aug. 27-29.
It's also important to remember they're striking for good reason: The Spanish trade union is asking for a 40% pay rise for its members to apparently bring pay in line with their French and German equivalents. At present, easyJet's Spanish crew members receive basic pay of 950 euros (about $967) per month, excluding bonuses and overtime.
Aug. 18-20: More train and Tube strikes
Hot on the heels of a triple whammy of rail strikes in late July, which saw a day of strike action on London's Underground sandwiched by two nationwide walkouts by train staff, similar action is expected in mid-August.
Should its demands not be met in the meantime, the RMT union plans nationwide walkouts on the railways on Aug. 18 and Aug. 20, when, once again, passengers will find that less than 20% of services are operational.
On Aug. 19, Transport for London workers will bring the fight to the capital's sprawling Tube network with their own strike, forcing millions of commuters and tourists to seek alternative transport by car, foot, cab or bus.
Related: 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
If you encounter strike action yourself — even if it's while reaching an airport during the latest U.K. rail strikes — be warned: Most travel insurance doesn't cover pre-planned strikes. Ensure plenty of time to prepare for alternative routes if you're traveling on the dates affected.
Now-2023: Heathrow flight cap
Worried it might crumble under the sheer weight of vacationgoers, London's Heathrow Airport has made the decision to limit departing passengers to 100,000 per day — 4,000 fewer than originally expected.
This cap was initially criticized by airlines, including Emirates, which labeled it an "armageddon" situation. The airline has since conceded and will be adjusting its schedule accordingly.
Heathrow stalwart British Airways has even placed a sales freeze on short-haul flights from the airport until Aug. 8 in response to the cap. It hopes this will allow it to meet its quotas while also freeing up space on flights for passengers whose existing bookings may be canceled.
Originally billed to run until September, the flight cap has been extended to the rest of the year at the minimum.
"This is not going to be a quick fix," said the airport's CEO, John Holland-Kaye, last week. "It's absolutely possible that we could have another summer with a cap still in place. It's going to take 12 to 18 months, and not just at Heathrow."
Related: Airport meltdowns: Tips if you're headed to Europe this summer
Airlines have already sold an average of 1,500 tickets per day more than the 100,000 cap for that period, according to Heathrow. Even if the carriers stop selling tickets, there will still be an excess of flights already booked that are over the proposed cap.
Be prepared for potential cancellations if you're flying from Heathrow between now and 2023.
Bottom line
Try as you might, finding positive aspects of the current airport crisis isn't easy — particularly as Europe's aviation industry gears up for its busiest time since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Strikes by cabin crews and staff shortages at airports and airlines have the potential to bite hard, resulting in thousands of cancellations and lengthy delays.
If you keep an eye on these dates and plan accordingly, even changing routes or dates prior to booking if needed, you should be OK.
Click here for tips on obtaining a refund from airlines sooner than later, and keep checking this page for new updates.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.