The school Easter holidays are under way for many people across the UK. However, some getaways will be affected by aviation strikes on the continent, including in Greece and Italy.
Here’s what you need to know if you’re travelling to Europe in the next fortnight.
Greek air traffic control
Air traffic controllers in Greece are taking part in a 24-hour strike by public sector workers on Wednesday 9 April. No commercial flights will land during the industrial action, which has been called by public sector union Adedy.
The industrial action is part of a dispute over wages.
Another strike day was held in February, which also saw all commercial flights grounded.
Check with your airline or tour operator if you are due to travel to or from Greece on Wednesday.
Heathrow assistance and British Airways cleaners
Around 500 workers providing assistance to passengers with restricted mobility at Heathrow airport and around 50 workers employed as British Airways cleaners are taking strike action on Wednesday 9 April.
The assistance providers working for Wilson James at Heathrow are in dispute over pay discrepancies with their counterparts at Gatwick.
The BA cleaners, employed by OCS to maintain the airline’s offices, are also striking over pay. They claim they are being paid the minimum wage in “one of the most expensive cities on the planet, with some having to use food banks and others struggling to pay their rent”.
Heathrow says that “Wilson James has contingencies in place and are not anticipating any disruption during this time, so please arrive to the airport as normal”.
EasyJet flights in Italy
EasyJet flight attendants in Italy will strike for four hours on Wednesday 9 April from 10.30am.
The strike is expected to affect flights to and from Naples and Milan airports.
A spokesperson for the airline said: “EasyJet has been formally advised of a four-hour air transport workers strike including some Italian-based cabin crew unions on Wednesday 9 April, 2025, which will impact one return flight to and from the UK.
“We would like to reassure customers that we are doing all possible to minimise any disruption and we have contacted customers directly with their options to help rearrange their plans.”
France rail walkouts
The French rail union SUD-Rail has issued a six-week strike notice that includes potential disruption over Easter.
Running from 17 April to 2 June, a strike motion was issued on behalf of ticket conductors seeking better pay and job security.
The union represents about 8,000 workers. No strike dates have been announced, and industrial action could take place with as little as two days’ warning.
Travellers are advised to check with their operator regularly for updates about any potential disruption.
Your rights if your trip is affected by strikes
Because the Greek air traffic control strike is beyond the control of airlines, passengers whose flights are disrupted are unlikely to be able to claim compensation.
However, airlines still have a duty of care. If your flight is delayed by more than two hours, they should provide assistance: food and drink or accommodation (plus transport, if required) if the delay is overnight.
If your flight is delayed by more than five hours, you are entitled to cancel and request a refund, or to be re-routed at the earliest available opportunity, which may even be with a different carrier.
If your flight is cancelled, you should receive a refund within seven days. However, you should also be offered the option to re-route to your destination, though no refund would be due in this instance.
European law states that if a European train cancellation delays your journey by more than 60 minutes, you have the right to choose between a full or partial refund within 30 days and a return journey to your initial point of departure if the cancelled train prevents you from fulfilling your trip, or re-routing at no additional cost at the earliest opportunity or at a later date of your choosing.
Like airlines, train companies also have a duty of care. If the railway company does not inform you of the available re-routing options within 100 minutes of the scheduled departure time of your cancelled service, you are entitled to make your own reasonable alternative arrangements which can be reimbursed by the train company.