Iberia cancels 41 flights and accumulates delays in 62% of its operations
A spokesperson for Iberia said that Iberia cancelled 41 flights and accumulated delays to 62% of its flights yesterday. Furthermore, the company admitted that these figures could rise even further.
Most of the flights affected were either to or from Madrid-Barajas airport although Barcelona-El Prat, Bilbao, Vigo, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca and La Coruña airports were also affected. Flights to London, Brussels, Paris and Lisbon were subject to cancellations.
In order to alleviate the effects of these cancellations Iberia contracted flights from other companies that operate between London and Madrid, Madrid and Brussels and Madrid and Las Palmas.
One of the worst delays was to a flight between Madrid and Buenos Aires, which at 18.00 hours yesterday afternoon registered a delay of 13 hours.
Since the beginning of last month Iberia has accumulated 600 cancellations and more than 6000 delays to flights which has affected more than a million passengers and has caused serious economic losses to the airline which had to pay for hotel accommodation, meals and transfers.
Iberia has repeated on various occasions that alterations to flights are due to a strike by the trade union Sepla. The strike coincides with the breakdown of negotiations for the renewal of the collective agreement governing pilots although this Selpa says that the situation has been caused by lack of personnel.
Iberia has taken action against 41 pilots which have supported the strike which could result in them being suspended, having their pay suspended and even being sacked.
Despite two meetings between Iberia and Sepla this week no agreement between the two sides has been reached. Another meeting is planned for today in order to try and break the deadlock in negotiations.