Iberia and unions reach agreement: strike off

Iberia on the ground
(Photo: planespotters.net)

MADRID Iberia, the airline that belongs to IAG (International Airlines Group) together with British Airways, has reached an agreement with the main unions, who have called of the strike that had been scheduled for Easter, one of the year's busiest times. The proposal to call off the strike came from the mediator in the otherwise bitter negotiations, Gregorio Tudela. So far, the number of redundancies proposed by IAG has been reduced from 3,807 to 3,141. The unions entered the negotiations last year in the belief that Iberia was about to be 'dismantled' by BA, which, in the medium term would not be entirely surprising for an airline that loses close to a million euros a day.

Iberia cancels 289 flights as result of three-day strike

Strikes are scheduled for January 25 (tomorrow), 27 and 30

SPAIN (Agencies) The pilots union, SEPLA, scheduled the strike in protest over the airline's decision to create a low cost line and are a continuation of previous protest strikes. Iberia has said that, while most of the cancellations impact principally on internal flights and some in Europe, they are able to put passengers on alternative routes and flights, and are therefore operating at 66% capacity. Passengers can obtain more information on the Iberia website but those who have paid for their tickets will be getting a message informing them of the situation. More information is also available on Facebook and Twitter as well, says the airline.

Iberia pilots call strike for 18 and 29

Union reps at press conference

SPAIN (Agencies) As we warned here last month, the Iberia pilots union has called a strike for this coming Sunday and the 29th of this month. The airline has announced that it has cancelled some 91 flights on the 18th as a result; if you have a ticket bought through a travel agent, they will deal with it; if you bought it online, you will receive notification from the airline as to how you may be impacted. Flights to Africa are not affected, and on the longer routes (e.g. New York, Miami, Mexico, Buenos Aires) only 17% of the flights are cancelled so far. Subsidiary airlines such as Air Nostrum or Vueling and other shared schedules, will not apparently be affected, and nor will flights to the Canary Islands, which are protected in the 'minimal service' agreements. If the strike is called off, we will tell you right here: watch this space.

'Hot Christmas' for Iberia passengers

SPAIN It looks like the traditional pilots strike at Iberia will not be forgotten this year. Spanish air travellers - and anyone making a connection with Iberia - are probably becoming used to the fact that their Christmas travels will be upset, as they have for the last five years. Travel agents are reporting that the fear of a strike has impacted bookings on the airline, although there are no numbers as yet. In a letter to the company, SEPLA, the union that represents some 1450 of Iberia's pilots, accuses the airline of 'propitiating its break-up' and refuses  arbitration. In fact, the union demands the presence of Willie Walsh, who heads IAG, the parent company of the merger between Iberia and British Airways, 'because he is the person making the decisions since the merger'.