Gatwick strike warning
Gatwick Airport warns of canceled flights and blocked roads between March 27 and April 2 as strikes hit the region — officials expect heavy congestion across Kent, Surrey and Sussex. (extra.ie) UK authorities are urging travelers to build extra transit time and check updates as the Easter period approaches. (bbc.co.uk)
Spanish ground‑handling unions UGT, CCOO and USO have announced an indefinite strike covering 12 Spanish airports from Friday 27 March, with stoppages scheduled 05:00–07:00, 11:00–17:00 and 22:00–00:00 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. (extra.ie) Separate airport‑handling teams have planned full 24‑hour walkouts on 28–29 March and 2–6 April, actions that unions say could continue into later 2026 if no deal is reached. (extra.ie) The Spanish sites named by organisers include Madrid‑Barajas, Barcelona‑El Prat, Malaga‑Costa del Sol, Alicante‑Elche, Palma de Mallorca, Gran Canaria, Tenerife Norte and Sur, Lanzarote, Valencia, Ibiza, Fuerteventura and Bilbao. (extra.ie) Spanish law requires minimum services during industrial action, so carriers say flights are not automatically cancelled but ground‑staff reductions will strip back operations and are likely to lengthen turnarounds and cause knock‑on delays. (extra.ie) London transport action remains a complicating factor: two planned late‑March Tube stoppages were suspended, but RMT still lists further 24‑hour London Underground walkouts in April and May. (uk.news.yahoo.com) Past disputes at Gatwick involving Red Handling and Unite saw more than 100 staff threaten action and operations modelling suggested roughly 50 flights a day could be affected, setting a local precedent for how reduced ramp and check‑in crews translate into cancellations and delays. (unitetheunion.org) Rail and airline operators are publishing live service information: Gatwick Express’s service‑updates page is active and advises passengers to check live departures, while airlines and travel outlets are highlighting check‑in/security cut‑offs and recommending carry‑on where possible to minimise bag‑drop delays. (gatwickexpress.com)
