CHAOS may strike Brits’ summer holiday plans as a major Spanish airport could be “paralysed” by staff protests.
Palma airport in Majorca is being targeted by furious staff who are threatening to bring it to a standstill on July 25th for four hours.
GettyLocals across Spain have been protesting against mass tourism for months[/caption]
AlamyWorkers say they are ‘abused’ at work by the conditions[/caption]
AlamyStaff at Palma de Mallorca Airport in Majorca are threatening to strike[/caption]
Staff have slammed “suffocating” working conditions there and are set to down tools as part of a strike by members of the UGT trade union.
Workers say they have their rights “abused” with “inhumane” work shifts, including stolen holidays, mistreatment, and no career progression.
They also say they’re given the wrong clothing for the hot summer temperatures on the island.
They’re not given rain coast for the rain and say their uniforms don’t “respect their dignity”.
Now they’re preparing to “paralyse” the airport threatening Brit holidaymakers with flight cancellation and delays.
Summer holidays begin next Thursday for most and many kids and their parents will be taking a hard earned break to the holiday hotspot.
The workers have accused some of the best known aviation companies of treating them badly, including: Jet2, Ryanair, easyJet, Swissport, Eurowings, and Menzies.
Staff have also taken aim at what they see if endless improvements at the airport.
They say the construction zone is bad for their health and also say it poses a risk to safety.
The UGT is also demanding free parking for workers and the opening of a new cafeteria with cheap prices.
Workers are pinning the airport operator Aena responsible for the shortcoming and said if it doesn’t make sure demands are met the “tone of the protest” will be raised.
The Balearic government last week demanded urgent action over the airport after admitting “the accumulation of incidents” is doing nothing for its tourism reputation.
Officials say delays, cancellations and overbooking at Palma airport in Mallorca are causing a growing volume of complaints and “generate widespread discomfort and project a very negative image of the islands.”
They have also complained about long waits at security controls and the continuing works at the airport, together with the “collapse in accesses and transit areas.”
Darren FletcherThe airport protest comes as Brits have not been the most welcome visitors to the island[/caption]
EPABrits could be left in massive queues by the strike[/caption]
Its the latest Spanish curveball hitting Brits holidays this summer with fuming locals also protesting.
Fuming locals are pushing back against what they see as “overtourism” by squirting holidaymakers with water guns.
Campaigners blame excessive levels of tourism for forcing locals out of affordable housing, raising the cost of living and making the city centres unusable.
Protests across Spain last month saw thousands take to the street and demand their cities “back”.
Around 100 noisy activists banging drums surrounded upmarket eatery Cappuccino Borne next to a McDonald’s in the centre of Palma after their protest finished.
Police moved in to ease tension as the demonstrators held up cardboard posters reading: “As You Come I Have To Go.”
Strikes are also ongoing in Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca with hospitality staff stopping work.
They’re also part of the UGT union and are demanding higher wages and fewer hours.
OVERTOURISM refers to the phenomenon where a destination experiences a volume of tourists that exceeds its manageable capacity
The term is often used to describe the negative consequences of mass tourism, which includes overcrowding and environmental issues
As a result, popular destinations have become less enjoyable for both visitors and locals
Local communities, in particular, bear the brunt, facing rising costs and a depletion of resources
In response, national and local governments have started to implement measures to reduce overtourism.
Some solutions include:
Safeguarding historical and heritage sites
Promoting off-peak travel
Tourism caps and regulations
Promoting lesser-known destinations
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