Iberia union strike is set to affect 50,000 passengers between January 5th and 8th

Discontent Iberia ground service staff announced a four day strike, causing the airline to cancel nearly 500 flights during the holiday season.

Iberia union strike: Will it affect my flight?

The major Spanish airline, Iberia, has announced the disruption of 469 flights supposed to take place between January 5th and 8th due to union strikes. The number of affected flights, originally 441, is expected to continue to increase. Of the 469 cancelled flights: 266 are operated by Iberia, 140 by Air Nostrum, and 63 by Iberia Express.

Almost 50,000 passengers will be directly affected by this strike and many more are expected to be indirectly affected through flight delays in the coming days. To further the issue, the strike will overlap with the Three Kings holiday, which is widely-celebrated on January 6th throughout the Iberian peninsula.

The complete list of cancelled Iberia flights has already been released.

Why are Iberia workers striking?

Ground service staff members of the CCOO, UGT and USO unions have been voicing their positions against contracts with new providers for services which were previously handled directly by Iberia. The strike was originally scheduled between December 29th and January 1st, and between January 4th and 7th.

However, foreseeing massive disturbances throughout the New Year’s period, the Spanish government agreed to act as a mediator between the involved unions and Iberia. As a result, the unions accepted the postponement of the strike to the upcoming week; January 5th to 8th.

What to do if my flight is cancelled due to Iberia’s strike?

If your flight was cancelled due to the Iberia strike, you could be eligible for up to 520 £ in compensation!

Although Iberia is offering refunds or the possibility to reschedule affected passengers' flights, it is important that passengers know their rights in this situation. Because this strike can be attributed to Iberia directly, your air passenger rights are protected by the EU 261 and you could be entitled to compensation up to £520 in addition to a full refund on your ticket; be sure to check your eligibility in only a few clicks with our free claim calculator.

Iberia is also urging any passengers whose flights were cancelled and were originally scheduled within the next 48 hours to call their customer service representatives and for any passengers whose flights were scheduled between January 5th and 8th to check their flight status in order to make appropriate arrangements.

About Iberia

Iberia, the Spanish carrier founded in 1927 and headquartered in Madrid, flies to over 120 destinations across 45 countries. After merging with British Airways in 2010 to form the International Airline Group (IAG), it became the world's third-largest airline by revenue. Subsidiaries include Air Nostrum, Iberia Regional, and Iberia Express, among others. Learn more about Iberia flight compensation.

Complete list of Iberia flights cancelled due to strike