Austrian Airlines cancels 400 flights over Easter as millions hit by travel chaos on roads and rails

Tens of thousands of passengers have had a spanner thrown into their travel plans as a European airline cancels hundreds of flights.

Austrian Airlines flight crews walked out yesterday and will do so again today amidst a pay dispute with their employer. As many as 50,000 passengers are expected to be impacted by the industrial action. The airline issued a warning ahead of the strikes telling customers to prepare for disruption on one of the busiest travel weekends across the Continent.

In a statement, Austrian Airlines said that 17 rounds of negotiations with the Vida union and the Works Council which represents cabin crew had not been successful. The company claimed that the unions had refused “to discuss our offer of a salary increase of up to 18% for flight attendants and pilots, and up to 28% for co-pilots.”

UNITED KINGDOM, London 29 March 2024: A packed Heathrow Terminal 5 is seen early this morning on Good Friday as the travel chaos for the Easter holidays begins. Airports have prepared for record numbers this holiday season. Credit: Rick Findler / Story Picture Agency

“With this offer, the company has already moved beyond its economically feasible limit. Since last Sunday, no further discussions have taken place, with the employee representatives opting against finding a mutual solution. We cannot keep our passengers in union uncertainty until the last minute. Therefore, it has just been decided to cancel over 400 flights from 28 March, 12:00 a.m. until 29 March, 12pm,” the statement continued. A statement from the Vida union said they were “ready to negotiate at any time”.

The strike action has added to the general, yearly Easter chaos on the roads, rails and airports which is currently being experienced by those trying to get away. The bad weather has made the challenges more significant. In the UK, millions hoping to make their journeys on Good Friday are expected to face delays as Storm Nelson disrupts ferry services.

Yesterday, Ferry company DFDS reported that its services at Dover were running with delays “due to strong winds in the Channel”. A further two million British holidaymakers are also set to jet abroad. Storm Nelson arrived with gusts of 50mph expected quite widely, according to a Met Office yellow weather warning for wind covering London and the South East, the South West and east of England which runs throughout Friday.

Great Western Railways closed several lines on Thursday due to flooding. All lines between Westbury and Swindon were shut and the main line from Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads was also closed. Travel trade organisation Abta said airports are reporting “strong numbers”, with 175,000 due to leave from Stansted, 105,000 from Luton, 160,000 from Manchester, 79,000 from Birmingham, and 89,000 from Edinburgh between Friday and Monday.

Strike action and maintenance work this week is likely to impact those travelling through Palma Airport in Majorca. The industrial action began on March 22 and is due to run until March 31, Travel Weekly reports. The strike by workers carrying out security screening will continue until Easter Sunday unless the industrial dispute can be brought to an end.

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