World’s major airline strikes since 2009

India’s state-owned Air India cancelled more than 76 flights on Wednesday due to a strike by its staff, a day after British Airways workers went on a five-day strike.

India’s state-owned Air India cancelled more than 76 flights on Wednesday due to a strike by its staff, a day after British Airways workers went on a five-day strike.

Here is a chronology of major airline strikes since 2009:

Jan. 2009 โ€“ Germanyโ€™s Deutsche Lufthansa grounds 44 flights after flight attendants stage a warning strike at the behest of trade union UFO, which is vying for higher wages.

— Four separate three-hour strikes, in protest against pension reforms and low salaries, by air traffic controllers ground hundreds of flights in Greece. The protesters later joined 24-hour public sector strikes in Feb.

Feb. โ€“ Warning strikes called by public sector union Verdi at Berlinโ€™s two international airports – Tegel and Schoenefeld, ground 24 flights. Protestors are seeking an 8 percent hike in wages.

March โ€“ Unions announce a one-hour strike across Spainโ€™s 47 state-owned airports in protest against governmentโ€™s plan to privatize state controlled company AENA โ€“ which owns and operates all Spanish airports.

Aug. โ€“ Moroccoโ€™s Royal Air Marocโ€™s (RAM) pilots go on strike, grounding its fleet of 33 planes, after RAM rejected the pilotโ€™s demand to give precedence to locals over foreign pilots at its low cost airlines.

–Kenya airways, faces flight disruption at Nairobi, as a fallout of a strike by some 3,000 workers demanding a 130 percent wage increase.

Sept โ€“ Indiaโ€™s private air carrier Jet Airwaysโ€™ 600 pilots go on strike – pushing for the reinstatement of two sacked pilots, grounding more than 200 flights.

–Government owned Air Indiaโ€™s 250 pilots go on a strike, in protest against pay incentive cuts, leading to cancellation of its flights.

Sept. โ€“ Serbian airlines JAT cancels flights after workers from Maintenance Company JAT Tehnika call a strike pertaining to JATโ€™s overdue debts.

Jan. 2010 โ€“ French air traffic controllers go on a two-day strike in response to planned job cuts, resulting in cancelled flights.

Feb. โ€“ German carrier Lufthansaโ€™s pilots go on a four day strike in protest against cost cuts attained by shifting jobs to foreign subsidiaries.

March โ€“ British Airways cabin crew goes on a three day strike from March 20-22 and again resumes the strike from March 27- 30 over disputes resulting from BAโ€™s decision to carry out heavy cost cuts โ€“ it wants to save 62.5 million pounds โ€“ resulting in cuts in long haul flight crews, wage freeze and job cuts. Announces a new wave of strikes scheduled for May 18-22, May 24-28, May 30-June 3 and June 5-9.

April โ€“ Lebanonโ€™s Middle East Airlinesโ€™ 170 pilots go on a 24-hour strike disrupting 23 flights, demanding better salaries, holidays and pensions.
May 24 โ€“ British Airways workers go on a five-day strike after the union Unite and the company failed to resume talks.

May 25 โ€“ Indiaโ€™s state-owned Air India cancels more than 76 flights due to strike by ground staff protesting a media gag order.

WHAT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS ARTICLE:

  • India’s state-owned Air India cancelled more than 76 flights on Wednesday due to a strike by its staff, a day after British Airways workers went on a five-day strike.
  • March โ€“ British Airways cabin crew goes on a three day strike from March 20-22 and again resumes the strike from March 27- 30 over disputes resulting from BA's decision to carry out heavy cost cuts โ€“ it wants to save 62.
  • 2010 โ€“ French air traffic controllers go on a two-day strike in response to planned job cuts, resulting in cancelled flights.

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About the author

Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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