Ryanair strikes begin: Cabin crew start five month walkout over working conditions

Ryanair cabin crew in Spain have just started five months of strikes that could cause chaos for an estimated 1.4 million passengers. 

After June and July were marked by walkouts at airports, two unions, Unión Sindical Obrera (USO) and SITCPLA, called for five months of industrial action that will last from 8 August to 7 January 2023.

Strikes will take place every week, from Monday to Thursday, and will last 24 hours, sources from USO told Euronews Travel. They will continue through the late summer season and Christmas period when there is usually high demand. 

The previous 18 days of strikes since the beginning of the summer caused an estimated 310 cancellations and about 3,455 delays at 10 Ryanair bases in Spain - particularly at Barcelona's El Prat airport. 

"Recent strikes by USO/SITCPLAhave been poorly supported with minimal effect," Ryanair said in a statement. 

The airline added that it expects minimal disruption this winter. On Monday, however, around 61 flights were reportedly affected by the latest wave of walkouts. 

What do the workers want from Ryanair?

The unions' demands include a call for the immediate reinstatement of the 11 workers fired for striking this July.

"We are seeing a trickle of dismissals almost daily. Last week it was the tenth worker and yesterday another colleague from Barcelona who had been with the company for 12 years," union sources say. 

They are also calling for an end to disciplinary proceedings against almost 100 workers who took part in the stoppages.

"They are using this as a way of intimidating the workforce. It is their way of warning workers to be careful about going on strike," says a union spokeswoman.

Despite the situation, they say company refuses to sit down with the unions. 

"There