MADRID, 5 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
This Friday begins the four-day strike, from January 5 to 8, called for Iberia handling workers, due to which the company has been forced to cancel 444 flights of the group’s airlines, affecting more than 45,600 passengers.
The company reported last Tuesday that it had already managed to resolve the trips of 91% of the affected passengers, either by reassigning another flight (80.2%) or by refunding the cost of the ticket (10.7%). These 444 flights are distributed among the three Iberia Group airlines: Iberia, Iberia Express and Air Nostrum.
However, the union action called by UGT, CC.OO, USO and inter-company committee may affect the operations of almost a hundred airlines to which Iberia Airport Services provides service at Aena airports, on dates that coincide with the festivity of the Three Wise Men and the return operation of the Christmas holidays.
From Facua-Consumidores en Acción they remember that passengers have the right to financial compensation and payment of the expenses that this change in their plans has entailed, although they point out that the airlines are not obliged to pay any of these compensations if the cancellation has been announced. at least two weeks in advance.
The compensation will range between 250 and 600 euros, depending on the distance that the canceled flight must travel and which may be reduced by half if the airline offers alternative transportation that in no case exceeds four hours.
In addition, they will have the right to a refund of the full ticket within a period of seven days. Facua also emphasizes the possibility of claiming other expenses derived from the cancellation, such as hotels, activities that have not been enjoyed, or even moral damages.
If the cancellation occurs close to the flight’s departure time, the association recalls that article 9 of European regulations obliges airlines to offer affected passengers “sufficient food and refreshments”, accommodation in a hotel if necessary and transfer from the airport to said hotel.
The strike call became definitive on Thursday afternoon, when the last meeting between unions and the company ended to try to reach an agreement to avoid it.
The unions had already announced other strikes for the same reason for the December long weekend and the beginning of Christmas, which were postponed under the commitment to continue negotiating.
The strike by the workers of this Iberia subsidiary arises after the company lost its operator license in eight of the large airports in the last Aena handling contest.
According to the agreement, these employees would be subrogated to the new winning company and the unions fear that this could cause a reduction in the labor rights that Iberia workers now enjoy.
For this reason, they have asked the company on numerous occasions to adopt ‘autohandling’ and thus maintain a large part of its workforce, which the company considers unviable. In addition, another series of measures have been put on the table, such as the creation of a joint company owned by IAG, which has been rejected by the unions.
