As the Easter holiday approaches, travelers across Europe are bracing for significant disruptions due to a wave of labor strikes affecting key transport hubs. The United Kingdom and Spain are particularly hard hit, with strikes at Gatwick Airport and among hotel workers in the Canary Islands threatening to cause chaos for holidaymakers.
In the UK, members of the Unite union have declared a strike at London’s Gatwick Airport, starting on Friday, April 18, 2025, and lasting through the Easter weekend until the early hours of Tuesday, April 22, 2025. This industrial action involves baggage handlers, check-in teams, and flight operations workers employed by Red Handling. The workers are protesting against unpaid pensions, late salary payments, and what they describe as "illegal" shift patterns. With about 50 flights a day expected to be affected, the strike is set to cause major disruption for thousands of travelers.
Unite union representatives have warned that the strike will lead to significant delays, cancellations, and long queues at check-in counters. "Gatwick Airport says it expects the Easter holiday to be its busiest period of the year so far, so there is no doubt that industrial action over the long weekend will be extremely disruptive for travelers," said David Taylor, a regional officer for Unite. The union alleges that the ongoing dispute has been exacerbated by the company’s failure to address workers' concerns adequately.
Red Handling has stated that it is working on a contingency plan to mitigate the impact of the strike, emphasizing that it aims to resolve the pay dispute by May 10, 2025. However, the union has rejected the company's last-minute offer to call off the strikes, leading to a stalemate.
Meanwhile, the Canary Islands are also facing turmoil as approximately 80,000 hotel workers are set to strike on April 17 and 18. The strike will affect popular tourist destinations such as Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro, disrupting hospitality services during one of the busiest travel periods of the year. Although minimum service levels have been imposed to ensure basic operations, unions have criticized these measures as undermining the right to strike.
In light of the strikes, travelers are advised to check their bookings and prepare for potential disruptions. The Canary Islands Department of Tourism and Employment has laid out minimum hospitality service levels, but the CCCO union, which is organizing the strike, has condemned these as anti-strike measures.
Across the UK, travel chaos is compounded by multiple train line closures as Network Rail initiates major engineering work over the Easter weekend. Train passengers have been warned of significant disruptions, particularly at London Euston, where no services will run to or from Milton Keynes on Saturday and Easter Sunday. A reduced timetable will be in effect on Good Friday and Monday.
As millions of motorists take to the roads, traffic queues are expected to form along major routes. The AA estimates that around 19 million people will be driving on Good Friday, April 18, 2025. Heavy rain, forecasted by the Met Office, could further complicate travel, with a yellow weather warning in place across parts of Cornwall and Devon.
In addition to the strikes and weather concerns, air traffic control shortages across Europe are expected to exacerbate delays. Ryanair has reported that 36.2 million of its passengers have been affected by air traffic control restrictions in the past year, with over 200,000 flights delayed. The aviation analytics firm Cirium has noted that Good Friday will be the busiest day of Easter, with nearly 2,949 flights scheduled to take off from UK airports.
As travelers prepare for their Easter getaways, they are urged to remain vigilant and flexible in their plans. With the potential for last-minute disruptions, it is crucial for passengers to stay informed about their travel arrangements.
This wave of coordinated strike action across Europe comes at a time when post-pandemic travel has been rebounding strongly. The immediate effect will be a disruption in passenger confidence, especially among holidaymakers and families planning last-minute Easter getaways. The Easter travel boom, which was forecasted to be one of the busiest in years, could see major slowdowns in operations at airports, hospitality services, and even rail transport systems.
Travel experts are advising holidaymakers to reconsider their travel plans if possible. Destinations that rely heavily on seasonal tourism could face booking declines or cancellations, especially from long-haul visitors from countries like the United States, India, and Australia. In contrast, other destinations not impacted by strikes—such as Dubai, Singapore, or Tokyo—may see an uptick in last-minute travel interest.
As the situation develops, travelers are encouraged to check for updates from airlines, rail services, and accommodation providers. The strikes at Gatwick and in the Canary Islands serve as a reminder of the complexities and challenges that can arise during peak travel times. With ongoing negotiations between workers and employers, the hope remains that a resolution can be reached to minimize disruptions for travelers.
In summary, this Easter weekend is shaping up to be a challenging time for travelers across Europe, with strikes, weather warnings, and transport disruptions all contributing to a perfect storm of travel chaos. As holidaymakers prepare for their trips, the importance of staying informed and flexible cannot be overstated.
