Transport strikes hit Europe in May, railways and airports affected

UK: thousands of trains canceled

Train drivers on some of the busiest commuter routes in the UK have gone on strike over pay and working conditions. Members of the ASLEF union are stopping thousands of trains between May 7 and 9, 2024.

The strike aims to disrupt 14 rail companies in England, which are controlled by the UK government and belong to the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), independent.co.uk reports. Most of the operators involved have canceled all trains.

Changes in the railroad are expected until May 11, as members of the ASLEF driver's union are also participating in a strike against overtime.

Meanwhile, employees of the UK's largest airport, London Heathrow, are preparing to strike. It was supposed to start on May 7, but was postponed for two days for negotiations. If no agreement is reached, the strike will last from May 9 to 13, which could cause disruptions at the airport.

Italy: railroad disruptions across the country

A wave of rail strikes in Italy will affect traveling in some regions. Regional strikes are scheduled for May 10 in Naples, May 17 in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, and May 27-28 in Liguria.

Photo: Train delays in Italy (Illustrative photo: gettyimages.com)

A nationwide strike on May 19 will affect Trenitalia and Trenord train companies. Train drivers will be on strike for almost a day.

Airline staff will strike in France

French flight attendants are threatening to strike between May 8 and 12. It is expected that 90% of flight attendants will participate. The strike will affect flights of the Vueling Spanish airline. The staff is demanding to review working conditions.

Iceland preparing for an airport strike

Employees of Iceland's largest airport, Keflavik, are planning to strike on May 9-12 if the labor dispute is not resolved.

Security personnel plan to stop their work for 4 hours every day, which could lead to flight disruptions.