Drivers' deal ends holiday flight threat

Holidaymakers were forced to sleep in airports

Spanish coach drivers, whose recent strike caused chaos for thousands of British tourists, have agreed a pay deal which should prevent further disruption.

A three-day strike at the end of June caused huge delays to about 200,000 British tourists flying to and from the Balearic islands of Majorca, Menorca and Ibiza.

Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) spokesman Keith Betton said the union which represents 80% of the Balearic Islands' 7,800 coach drivers had accepted an 18% pay rise over three years.

We have an assurance the strike will not happen again

Keith Betton, Abta

This will guarantee a continued service throughout the summer, through to the summer of 2003.

Mr Betton said: "We have an assurance the strike will not happen again and an agreement which covers this summer and the next two.

"It is great news for holidaymakers because they could not have coped with another week of disruption to their travel plans.

Flight delays

"From our point of view it is tremendous news for our customers because people booking late holidays want to know they will get their holiday."

Problems began when coach drivers on the Balearic Islands took industrial action over pay and conditions from midnight on 29 June until midnight 2 July.

They refused to shuttle tourists between the airports and hotels - causing knock-on delays for numerous flights.

Departures from the islands were severely affected with some having to wait up to 30 hours for their flights to take off.

Tourists arriving on the islands faced taxi queues for three hours or more before being able to reach their villas and apartments.

Tempers frayed and riot police were drafted in to calm the situation.

Iberia dispute

Meanwhile, Iberia Airlines has proposed the appointment of an arbitrator to settle a pay dispute between management and pilots, which has forced widespread flight cancellations during peak travel season.

In a statement, Iberia said the proposal was conditional on the pilots' union Sepla calling off a series of one-day strikes. The last strike grounded nearly a quarter of the airline's flights.

Nearly 23% of domestic and European flights, along with two long-haul flights were cancelled on Tuesday as a result of the pilots' one-day stoppage.

Pay dispute continues at Iberia Airlines

In 1995, the pilots agreed to a 20% pay cut over four years while the airline was being privatised so it could return to profit and float shares successfully.

Now that 95% of the Spanish carrier is in private hands, the pilots want their original salaries reinstated over the next four years.

The airline has offered a salary increase of 26% over the next four years, dependent on increased productivity and improved financial results.

The pilots have threatened seven further one-day strikes throughout the summer holiday period, on 17 and 24 July and on 6, 13, 20, 27 and 31 August.