Irish airline giants, Ryanair , threatened to cancel four of its Spanish routes this week, after baggage handlers in Spain went on strike over current working conditions.
British holidaymakers were shocked when they were suddenly told that their main luggage would have to be left behind. Passengers traveling on 40 Ryanair flights were allowed to only take their hand luggage with them, having to abandon their suitcases at Stansted as a result of the action.
Girona , Seville , Granada and Jerez airports experienced strikes in the form of two walkouts, each approximately four hours long.
The workers accused Ryanair of ignoring written agreements over working practices. As a result of further planned action Ryanair said it would be unable to accept checked baggage on flights to and from Girona, Seville, Granada and Jerez.
In Italy there was another protest that included 60 members of the Ryanair staff refusing to sell extras, such as hot drinks, food and alcohol on its flights, though they continued to sell water. The Italian strikers said that they were protesting because Ryanair refused to engage in talks with their union.
Ingo Marowskyhe, Secretary of the International Transport Workers Federation said members from Europe's leading transport unions met this week to discuss the possibility of a unified strike that would target Ryanair operations across Europe .
He said, "We are only asking that Ryanair complies with basic working practices over pay, staffing levels and hours of shift. Workers feel mistrusted, marginalised and mistreated."
The Irish based airline, which carried a record four million passengers in August, has already threatened to pull out of the affected routes permanently if the situation does not improve.
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