Tag Strike

After about two months of intermitent strikes and walk-outs by hotel workers in Southern California, Unite Here Local 11, the union representing them, has called for industrial action on about 60 hotels in the greater Los Angeles/Orange County area.

If you’re travelling to Los Angeles this week (as am I), you may find pickets taking place at your hotel door (as I did!). Workers are asking for an improvement on their wages and working conditions, and for that they’ve decided to take the streets and to protest loudly about it.

The protests are taking place at about 60 hotels  in Southern Californa, among them well-known properties as the Beverly Hilton, the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles and others.

The protests start about 3 AM every day, and extends until about 8-9 PM, or at least that’s the case for the Hotel Indigo Dowontown, where I had a reservation for last night. I took quick walk around Downtown LA yesterday, and I found similar scenes on many of the properties around LA Live.

Courtyard/Residence Inn by Mariott Los Angeles Downtown:

Hotel Indigo Downtown:

InterContinental Los Angeles:

Sheraton Grand Los Angeles:

Hotel Figueroa:

JW Marriott Los Angeles:

CONCLUSION

It doesn’t come as a surprise that hotel workers are being overworked and underpaid all around, and with the increased cost of living and inflation, most of them are directly not making ends meet.

If your travel plans have been affected by these protests (that will last at least until tomorrow, but may be extened to next week), remember that you should claim for compensation. Hotels are in the business of selling good night sleeps, and these protests are loud and staring every night at 3 AM!!! If you’re traveling to Los Angeles this weekend, you may want to check if your hotel is affected by the protests, and in case it is, you may want to consider a hotel change if you don’t want your holiday weekend to be disrupted by these actions.

Transport sector strikes in France are set to continue in September as the Air Traffic Controllers have given notice of a one-day long work stoppage amid the Rugby World Cup.

You can expect widespread disruption not only to flights set to land and take off at various French airports but also to those that utilize the country’s airspace if the strike on September 15, 2023, goes forward.

Several unions in France represent Air Traffic Controllers, and so far, only the largest one, SNCTA, has given the strike notice, but other unions may join.

The union is also planning another work stoppage on October 13, 2023.

You should pay attention to this possible strike, especially if you plan to fly to/from/via/over France on the strike date, as there will be many canceled and delayed flights.

The EU’s EC 261/2004 legislation required community airlines and those flying from EU/EEA to rebook affected passengers to their final destinations at the earliest opportunity and to provide Duty to Care (hotels and meals) in case of long delays.

Conclusion

It has been relatively quiet in the work stoppage sector in Europe in the past couple of months, but I assume that strike activity will return now that the summer travel season is over.

You should pay attention to these strikes because they affect long-haul flights before and after the strike day and may lead to missed connections and ruined travel plans.

Multiple air transport sector trade unions in Italy, from ground handling to select airline staff, are striking on Saturday, July 15, 2023, causing widespread havoc.

Flight services are guaranteed by law between 7 AM – 10 AM and 6 PM – 9 PM, and ITA Airways has already canceled 133 flights scheduled for tomorrow.

Air Passenger Rights:

Airlines must rebook affected passengers to their final destination at the earliest opportunity, even when this means moving them to services operated by other airlines. Passengers can also choose a refund if their flight is canceled.

Airlines are required to provide Duty to Care in case of long delays and cancellations, which means accommodation and meals.

Cash compensation for delayed or canceled flights is not applicable if the disruption is caused by third parties.

ENAC’s Announcement:

Download (PDF, 431KB)

On Strike:

– Airport handling company employees – 8 hours – from 10:00 to 18:00;
– Workers of airport handling services companies – 8 hours – from 10:00 to 18:00;
– Aviation, airport and related airport workers – 8 hours – from 10:00 to 18:00;
– Employees of air transport and associated companies – 8 hours – from 10:00 to 18:00;
– Flight crew Soc. Vueling S.A. – 8 hours – from 10:00 to 18:00;
– Technical crew of Malta Air airline – 4 hours – from 12.00 to 16.00

Guaranteed International Flights

Middle East

MSR 704 MALPENSA (LIMC) CAIRO (HECA)
UAE 206 MALPENSA (LIMC) DUBAI (OMDB)
QTR 128 MALPENSA (LIMC) DOHA HAMAD (OTHH)
KAC 164 MALPENSA (LIMC) KUWAIT (OKKK)
ETH 713 MALPENSA (LIMC) FIUMICINO (LIRF) ADDIS ABEBA (HAAB)
ITY 896 FIUMCINO (LIRF) CAIRO (HECA)
EJU 3937 MALPENSA (LIMC) TEL AVIV (LLBG)
RJA 102 FIUMICINO (LIRF) QUEEN ALIA (OJAI)
ETD 86 FIUMICINO (LIRF) ABU DHABI (OMAA)
ELY 288 MALPENSA (LIMC) TEL AVIV (LLBG)
LAV 3511 MALPENSA (LIMC) MARSALAM (HEMA)
FDB 1682 NAPOLI (LIRN) DUBAI (OMDB)
GFA 026 MALPENSA (LIMC) BAHRAIN (OBBI)
SVA 210 MALPENSA (LIMC) JEDDAH (OEJN)
MEA 236 MALPENSA (LIMC) BEIRUT (OLBA)
ISR 356 VERONA (LIPX) TEL AVIV (LLBG)
AHY 036 MALPENSA (LIMC) BAKU (UBBB)
RYR 3154 BERGAMO (LIME) AMMAN (OJAI)
ABY 711 BERGAMO (LIME) SHARJAH (OMSJ)

North America

UAE 205 MALPENSA (LIMC) NEW YORK (KJFK)
ITY 604 MALPENSA (LIMC) NEW YORK (KJFK)
TSC 2309 FIUMICINO (LIRF) TORONTO (CYYZ)
UAL 0415 MALPENSA (LIMC) CHICAGO (KORD)
DAL 289 VENEZIA (LIPZ) NEW YORK (KJFK)
AAL 721 FIUMICINO (LIRF) CHARLOTTE (KCLT)
ACA 893 FIUMICINO (LIRF) MONTREL (CYUL)
WJA 033 FIUMICINO (LIRF) CALGARY (CYYC)

South America

TAM 8073 MALPENSA (LIMC) GUARULHOS (SBGR)

Southeast Asia

SIA 355 MALPENSA (LIMC) SINGAPORE (WSSS)
CPA 234 MALPENSA (LIMC) HONG KONG (VHHH)
CCA 950 MALPENSA (LIMC) BEIJING (ZBAA)
ITY 770 FIUMICINO (LIRF) NEW DELHI (VIPD)

North Asia

AAR 562 FIUMICINO (LIRF) INCHEON (RKSI)
KAL 932 FIUMICINO (LIRF) INCHEON (RKSI)
ITY 792 FIUMICINO (LIRF) TOKYO HANEDA (RJTT)

Central America & Caribbean

NOS 630 MALPENSA (LIMC) LA ROMANA (MDLR)

Africa

NOS 6986 BOLOGNA (LIPE) MARSA ALAM (HEMA)
LAV 5711 BERGAMO (LIME) CAPO VERDE (GVAC)

ITA Airways Announcement:

Due to the strike by workers in the aviation sector and by Handling companies proclaimed for Saturday 15 July , ITA Airways flights could be canceled and/or delayed. The Company was forced to cancel 133 national and international flights  scheduled for 15 July.

Click here to see the list of canceled flights

ITA Airways has activated an extraordinary plan to limit the inconvenience of passengers, rebooking on the first available flights as many travelers as possible involved in the cancellations: 40% will be able to fly on the same day as the strike.

ITA Airways invites all travelers who have purchased a ticket for the day of the strike, to check the status of their flight, before going to the airport, on the website ita-airways.com, in the section Flight info , or by contacting the travel agency where they bought the ticket.

Passengers who have purchased an ITA Airways ticket to travel on 15 July , in the event of cancellation or change in the time of their flight, will be able to change the booking without any penalty or request a refund of the ticket (only if the flight has been canceled or has been delayed by more than 5 hours)  no later than 22 July 2023 , by calling the toll-free number from Italy 800 93 60 90 | from abroad +39 06 8596 0020 , or by contacting the travel agency where they purchased the ticket.

ITA Airways Canceled Flights:

Conclusion

These airline sector strikes continue in Europe, although quite a few have been called off at the very last minute; this one in Italy will go forward tomorrow.

It seems that most long-haul flights are guaranteed and won’t be affected by the strike, but those connecting to these flights might face issues.