British tourists could face travel disruptions in Greece next week during a day-long airport strike. Greek air traffic controllers will stage a 24-hour walkout on Wednesday during the Easter holudays from school, organised by the public sector employee federation ADEDY, on the same day as easyJet’s Italian strike.
During the full-day walkout, only essential flights will operate such as those flying over the ns flight information region, flights carrying heads of state and prime ministers, and hospital and humanitarian aid flights. It is over a dispute in staffing shortages and equipment problems which cause delays, as well as outdated surveillance and communication systems, which cannot keep up with increased tourist demand, reported The Independent. The latest walkout will likely see around 70-80 UK flights cancelled.
In 2023, the UK was the second-largest inbound tourist market for Greece with around 4.6 million arrivals.
ADEDY has also requested that bonus holiday salaries are reinstated, real wages are increased and action is taken over the housing crisis.
It follows an air traffic control strike on February 28 this year, as part of a wider strike that demanded justice for 57 victims who died in a train crash in Tempe, northern Greece, two years ago.
The victims died in a head-on collision between a freight train and a passenger train, which exposed shortcomings in the safety equipment in Greece’s railway system and led to the transport minister resigning.
It will be held on the same day as easyJet airport strikes in Italy, where flight attendants will stage a national walkout for four hours, according to the Italian Ministry of Transport, between 10.30am and 2.30pm local time.
The strike, which will involve workers from three unions, is expected to impact flights to and from Milan and Naples airports.
Air passenger rights regulation entitles flyers to compensation of between £220 and £520 if their flight is delayed by more than three hours or cancelled, as a result of industrial action by airline staff.
