Two major European airports will grind to a halt this week due to strikes.
Travellers heading to Greece on February 28 should brace for significant disruption. Air traffic controllers will participate in a nationwide general strike, resulting in the cancellation of all commercial flights to and from Athens’ Venizelos Airport for 24 hours.
As Greece’s largest and busiest airport, handling over 400 flights daily, Venizelos is the country’s primary international gateway and a key hub for numerous European and international airlines. The strike, organized by the Hellenic Air Traffic Controllers Union (EEEKE), marks the second anniversary of the devastating rail crash in Tempe, Northern Greece.
Over in Germany, public sector workers and ground staff at Munich Airport are set to go on a two-day strike on 27 and 28 February. Led by Verdi Union, the strikes are due to failed wage negotiations with the airport authorities and will cause significant travel disruptions.
Experts at AirAdvisor warn that Munich Airport will likely cancel all flights, which means it will be completely shut down for commercial passenger operations during the two days. Back in February 2023, a similar strike at Munich brought the airport to a standstill.
Munich is Germany’s second busiest airport after Frankfurt, meaning the strikes will directly affect a high volume of passengers and cause significant disruptions, with ripple effects on connecting flights and airline schedules beyond the immediate dates. Lufthansa, British Airways, and easyJet passengers are likely to be directly affected, with key routes from London, Manchester, and Edinburgh impacted.
Based on Air Advisor’s analysis, 32 flights will face disruptions, affecting approximately 5,120 UK passengers.
Predicted disruption
- London Heathrow: Total 26 flights (12 British Airways and 14 Lufthansa)
- Manchester: One flight on 28 February
- London Gatwick: Four easyJet flights (Two flights on Thursday and Friday each)
- Edinburgh: One flight on 27 February
Anton Radchenko, founder of AirAdvisor, said: “This particular industrial action comes just days after strikes in Düsseldorf and Cologne/Bonn, indicating a broader trend of labour unrest in Germany’s aviation industry. Given Verdi Union’s focus on public sector employees, the strike action will include ground staff such as baggage handlers and airport authority staff like security and operations personnel, leading to widespread chaos.
“48 hours is a long time for any strike and considering it’s just before the weekend, it will lead to cancelled holidays, stranded passengers, missed connections, and financial losses for passengers and airlines alike. Keep in mind that passengers will not receive financial compensation because these strikes are outside the airline’s control and as per EU261 regulation, compensation is only due if carriers are directly responsible for flight disruptions. That’s clearly not the case here.
“However, passengers are still entitled to the right to care and assistance. This includes free meals, refreshments, accommodation (if an overnight stay is necessary), transport to and from the airport, a full refund, and free rerouting on the next available flight.”