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WORLD NEWS Thursday 26 July 2018

Thousands affected as Ryanair cabin crews go on strike

By ARITZ PARRA holiday in Madrid, said they ahead of the strike, with
MADRID (AP) — Cabin crew found their flight was can- nearly one out of four daily
workers for low-cost air- celled when they arrived at Ryanair flights suspended.
line Ryanair went on strike Madrid airport. Spain's Ministry of Develop-
Wednesday in four Euro- "I have sympathy for the ment said disruptions were
pean countries over work- workers, but I don't think minimal Wednesday, and
ing conditions, forcing tens this is fair for the custom- the flight cancellations and
of thousands of passengers ers and those who have to delays that did take place
to make last-minute travel travel because they need were caused by walkouts
adjustments at the peak to work," Luchi said as she by Italy-based crews.
of the summer holiday sea- stood in a line with dozens Earlier, authorities required
son. of other stranded passen- Ryanair to ensure that all
Ryanair said the 50,000 gers waiting to file com- flights serving the Spanish
customers affected by the plaints. islands operated, and that
cancellation of 600 flights After some back and forth, at least 35 percent of do-
over the two days were Ryanair offered to pay to mestic flights and 59 per-
given alternative seats or People queue at the Ryanair airline customer service desk put the father and daugh- cent of international ones
during the first of two days cabin crew strike at Adolfo Suarez-
offered full refunds. Barajas international airport in Madrid, Wednesday, July 25, ter on a flight to Rome with were to be unaffected.
Labour unions in Portugal, 2018. another airline. In Italy, at least 165 flights
Spain, Belgium and Italy Associated Press The two main unions rep- were cancelled, according
claim that employees of resenting pilots and cabin to the Italian civil aviation
Ryanair or its subsidiaries In response, the Dublin- tries where strikes initially crews in Spain said nego- authority. Ryanair didn't
have reduced leave allow- based airline published were called for Wednes- tiations with Ryanair over immediately confirm the
ances and access to state June salary slips on its web- day and Thursday. the contracts of more than number, but said in a state-
benefits because they site. It argued that pilots Chiara Luchi, a 21-year-old 4,000 cabin crew members ment that cancellations
were hired under contracts and cabin crew are fairly student who planned to fly across Europe had failed. were due to a "strike action
governed by countries paid in Portugal, Spain and back to Pisa, Italy with her Spain had the most by a small number of cabin
where they are not based. Belgium, the three coun- father after a weeklong planned cancellations crew in Italy."q

Barcelona taxis strike to protest ride-hailing apps

By RENATA BRITO agreed ratio of 30 taxi li- drivers were assaulted on
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — censes for every autho- the sidelines of the pro-taxi
Taxi drivers from all corners rized ride-hailing car to be demonstration.
of Spain drove to Barcelo- honored. The current ratio Eduardo Martin, spokes-
na to join a 2-day strike that in Catalonia, the Spanish man for Unauto, the Span-
started Wednesday in pro- region of which Barcelona ish national association for
test of the growing number is the capital, stands at drivers of ride-hailing apps,
of cars operating under about 6.7 to 1. including Uber and Cabify,
ride-hailing apps. Uber and Thousands of demonstra- said there had been doz-
Cabify briefly halted ser- tors lit firecrackers and ens of assaults of Uber and
vice, saying some of their honked car horns as they Cabify drivers and passen-
drivers were attacked. marched to a government gers in Barcelona, mainly in
The taxi drivers, who joined building to demand more front of hotels. Two drivers
a raucous protest in front regulation on the ride- were hospitalized, he said.
of the Arch of Triumph, op- booking apps they claim One was left unconscious,
pose the recent suspension are taking away their jobs. and the other was taken
of additional authorization Later Wednesday, Uber to the hospital with first-de-
required for ride-hailing and Cabify announced gree burns to his face after
companies to operate in they were temporarily sus- an acid attack. Cars were A protestor burns flares during a taxi strike in Barcelona, Spain,
Wednesday, July 25, 2018.
Barcelona. pending service in Barce- left with broken windows Associated Press
They want a previously lona after some of their and wing mirrors.q