1 in 5 flights delayed on second day of Iberia strike
Baggage problems in Barcelona and Bilbao mostly resolved, airline says
The second day of a four-day strike by Iberia ground staff got underway on Saturday.
According to the airline, as of 9:30am, 80% of flights were on time, meaning 1 in 5 experienced delays.
Some 16.5% of staff took part in the strike action, a figure which does not include those who were ordered to work in order to cover the legal minimum service applicable during strikes, or those who called in sick.
In a statement, Iberia reiterated its apologies to travelers for the inconvenience caused by the strike and thanked its customers for their "understanding and patience".
Problems with luggage in Barcelona and Bilbao were mostly resolved, the airline said.
The USO union said on Friday that the protest had "left its mark" after the problems not only with the baggage handling in Barcelona and Bilbao, but also in Mallorca and Malaga.
Dispute
Staff are protesting the company's refusal to provide its own baggage handling services at airports where it lost its license to do so.
Iberia's Corporate Director, Juan Cierco, stressed that the strike is "inexplicable" because the workers have job security and guaranteed salary and benefits.
Despite meetings between the unions and the company on Wednesday and Thursday to try to call off the strike, no agreement was reached.
Pedro Gómez, responsible for the aerial division in the union CCOO, criticized the “immobility” of Iberia during the negotiations.
Iberia accused of losing license
During the strike on Friday, general secretary of the workers’ union UGT, Camil Ros, accused Iberia of deliberately losing licenses “to get rid of quality jobs.”
Iberia’s director of HR, Celia Martínez Calderón, denied the allegations and pointed to the company’s “effort” to obtain licenses at all airports.
More than 400 flights cancelled
The protest takes place during the celebration of the Epiphany (Three Kings Day) and the return to work after the Christmas holidays.
The company had to cancel more than 400 Iberia, Iberia Express and Air Nostrum flights. It successfully rebooked more than 80% of the affected passengers, totaling more than 45,000, and gave refunds to 10% of those affected.