Holiday Travelers Bracing For Multitude Of Airline Strikes

French air traffic controllers plan continuous strikes to protest changes in their pension plans. Austrian aviation workers plan to strike because of similar changes. Alitalia cabin crews are on strike over recent job cuts.

It looks like a good summer to take the train if you're traveling around Europe.

French Controllers Strike

"There will be a strike on June 10 and I hope it will be nationwide, said Jean-Paul Armangou, national secretary of France's CGT union. "We will continue to speak to the government. It is possible we will take some more action on days throughout the summer." French air controllers staged a massive walkout last Tuesday, grounding 80 percent of all flights, after the French government said they'd have to participate in the state's pension plan for 40 years instead of 37 if they wanted a full return. That prompted at least one British travel bureau to issue warnings to travelers headed to France during the traditional holiday season between June and September.

But Armangou sought to downplay fears of continuous disruptions over the pension issue. "During the past 10 years it has not been the French tradition to disrupt the busiest periods. We will not strike on the main holiday weekends in July and August."

Alitalia FA's Strike, Greek Airport Workers Try

In Rome, Alitalia Airlines' flight attendants are expected to repeat a recent walkout over lay-offs. In Greece, workers at the Skiathos Airport tried to stage a 24-hour strike over working conditions two weeks ago. While the strike didn't succeed, Noel Josephides, managing director of the Greece specialist Sunvil Holidays, told the London Daily Telegraph, "Last week we had another strike threat that didn't come off but who knows what will happen throughout the summer. It's an ongoing situation in Greece which we have to live with each year. It's expensive for us but we try to minimize the inconvenience to passengers."

The Summer Of Their Discontent

"There's always something, somewhere that happens in the summer," said Alan Flook, Sec. Gen. of the Federation of Tour Operators. "But the good news for holidaymakers is that most of the companies offering charter flights are used to this situation and can work their schedules around the strikes."

FMI: www.fto.co.uk