Europe's Travel Strikes: Flight And Train Disruption You Can Expect In February

When, where and what disruption you can expect.

ADVERTISEMENT

Strikes are a regular occurrence in Europe, as employees withhold their labour to fight for better pay and conditions.

Walkouts are sometimes planned months ahead but others are announced last minute, showing that it always pays to check before you travel.

Luckily, we have gathered all of the strike information together below.

Read on to find out where and when are walkouts taking place.

If your flight or train is cancelled or delayed, you will be entitled to a new ticket or compensation. Read our guide for the full details.

UK: Train drivers call rolling strike

Members of the Aslef union have called a rolling schedule of one-day strikes and an overtime ban between 30 January and 5 February.

The walkouts will impact different operators on different days, including Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, West Midlands Trains, GTR, LNER, Southeastern, SWR and TransPennine Trains.

Train drivers are in a long-running dispute over pay, which they say has not increased in five years.

London Overground strikes will also take place on 19-20 February and 4-5 March, union RMT has announced.

Germany: Airport security strikes

Germany is bracing for chaos on 1 February as union Verdi has called for a strike that's set to cause flight cancellations and and delays at major airports.

Lufthansa will be badly affected by the security staff walkout, with over a third of flights at risk.

Hamburg Airport and Berlin Brandenburg have said that all departures will be cancelled on Thursday. Arrivals could also be affected. Cologne Bonn has advised passengers to check their flight status before travelling to the airport.

Nationwide transport strike in Germany

On 2 February, buses, trams and underground services will grind to a halt in Germany as members of the Verdi union walk out over staff shortages and working hours.

The strike comes just days after train drivers ended a week-long walkout.

'Open-ended strikes' could hit Germany's rail network in the coming months if an agreement is not reached by the 3 March deadline.

Finland: Airports to be hit by strikes

Members of Finland's JHL union, which represents around 12,000 airport workers, have announced a 48-hour strike on 1-2 February.

National carrier Finnair says it expects the walkout to have a significant impact on flights. If you have a flight booked between 31 January and 3 February, the airline will allow you to travel earlier or postpone your trip up until 15 March.

It is not yet clear which flights will be cancelled or delayed. Other services such as ground handling are also expected to be impacted, causing further delays for passengers.

ADVERTISEMENT

France: Seven-month strike notice could hit Paris Olympics

Disruption is expected on the Ile-de-France bus and metro network as CGT-RATP has announced a seven month strike notice from 5 February to 9 September.

Workers at the state owned public transport company say they are walking out over pay. Strikes could hit during the Paris 2024 Olympics if a deal is not reached.

If you know of a big strike happening in your country that we have missed, we'd love to hear from you via Twitter.

RECENT NEWS

Why Im Racing To Get My French Citizenship Before The EUs Entry/Exit System Launches In October

As a Brit, the introduction of the EES means I’m more desperate than ever to get my French citizenship. Read more

Demand For Sustainable Travel Is Booming: Will Eurostar Add New Routes?

Eurostar's chief executive also said that she expects St Pancras and Paris Gare du Nord will be redesigned over the next... Read more

Unbelievably Easy To Explore: Travellers Recommend The Best Places For A First-time Solo Trip

Heading off on your first ever solo trip can be intimidating. Head to these European destinations for an easy ride. Read more

Is Weed Still Legal In Thailand? Heres What Tourists Need To Know As Government U-turns

Pro-cannabis protesters rallied this week against plans to relist the plant as a narcotic. Read more

Laptop Squatters: Cafes In Europe Are Fed Up With Space-hogging Digital Nomads

Some cafes have banned laptops completely while others charge an hourly rate for the privilege of using them. Read more

We Pay Dearly: Menorcan Town Fed Up With Tourists Has Introduced Visiting Hours

Tourists regularly enter into homes, steal belongings and climb up balconies. Read more