London Tube strikes continue

London Tube strikes continued this week, with a 24‑hour walkout running from 12:00 midday on Thursday April 23 to 12:00 midday on Friday April 24. (tfl.gov.uk) Drivers staged an earlier 24‑hour walkout beginning at 12:00 on Tuesday April 21, and the RMT has scheduled multiple two‑day pairings across April, May and June. (rmt.org.uk) Transport for London (TfL) warned there would be “some service on most lines” but said disruption would vary by line and continue into the afternoons and evenings. (tfl.gov.uk) Time Out says the strikes, which end at midday on Friday April 24, are not expected to stop the London Marathon on Sunday April 26, though number‑collection at ExCeL could be affected. (timeout.com) The tube disruption arrives as Europe faces a separate jet‑fuel squeeze: the International Air Transport Association and others have warned of looming shortages that could force airlines to cut summer schedules. (aircargonews.net) Airlines and industry bodies have already flagged cancellations and schedule cuts—some carriers have announced hundreds of cancellations and UK carriers warned about losing Heathrow slots if reductions continue. (independent.co.uk) The RMT says the dispute is over a proposed “compressed” four‑day working week that members rejected in e‑referendums; RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey called the plans a safety and fatigue risk. (rmt.org.uk) TfL says the four‑day proposal is intended as a voluntary pilot and urged the union to call off action while it continues talks; TfL has also advised customers to “check before they travel.” (tfl.gov.uk) Pubs, shops and SMEs reported falling footfall during the earlier walkouts, and local hospitality groups described trading as some of the worst days in recent memory. (sg.news.yahoo.com) The strikes are due to finish midday April 24 but more dates are booked for May and June; TfL and the RMT both say talks are ongoing, and passengers are advised to check TfL updates before travelling. (tfl.gov.uk)