Disruption warning as airport staff go on strike for Bank Holiday weekend

Disruption warning as airport staff go on strike for Bank Holiday weekend
Hundreds of employees are to walk out on Friday and Monday
Queues at the airport
600 employees in the ground handling and catering sector, as well as in the aircraft repair and maintenance sector, will take part in protest actions on Friday, May 2 and 300 employees who handle passengers, ground handling, and cargo will be going on strike the following Monday.
Staff at Finnair, which flies to and from Edinburgh, Manchester and London Heathrow, are striking after unsuccessful negotiations regarding the extension of a collective agreement on wage conditions and the termination of temporary austerity measures. Finnair is Finland's largest airline. It operates regular flights to various countries around the world, including Europe, Asia, North America and the Pacific region. The company is a member of the Oneworld International alliance.
‌
In the UK, there are up to six Finnair flights per day between Heathrow and Helsinki. Darina Kovacheva, Head of Legal at airline compensation specialists SkyRefund, said: 'According to EU Regulation 261/2004, the eligibility for compensation for a flight disrupted by strike action depends largely on who calls the strike and how much control the airline has over it. As this strike will involve Finnair employees, if you present yourself on time for check-in with a valid flight reservation and travel documents, and you are denied boarding you might be entitled to € 250 if the distance you are travelling is 1,500 km or less; € 400 for flights of more than 1,500 km within the European Common Aviation Area and all others between 1,500 and 3,500 km, with all other flights of more than 3,500 km eligible for € 600 compensation.
Article continues below
'If you're caught up in travel disruptions due to industrial action, regardless of your airline, they must look after you. That means they should provide food and drinks that match the length of your wait, and if you're stuck overnight, they must also cover a hotel stay and transport between the airport and hotel. The timing also matters - you're eligible for this support after a 2-hour delay on short-haul flights, 3 hours on medium-haul flights, and 4 hours on long-haul flights.
"But keep in mind, if the airline you are travelling on is not Finnair, and therefore not striking, and you are still affected, you will not be eligible for financial compensation as the delay or cancellation has been caused by 'extraordinary circumstances', for example a strike by airport workers, who don't work for the airline on which you are travelling. Still, it's sensible to hang on to your receipts for any expenses you rack up during the delay.'

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Daily Record

17 hours ago

• Daily Record

'I went to Butlin's for the first time on my own and three words sum it up'

Walking into Butlin's Bognor Regis, two things were crystal clear. One, I was the only child-free person for miles. And two, it was going to be an epic weekend. As a resident of the United Kingdom, I was recently told that going to a Butlin's was a rite of passage. As a relatively new resident of the United Kingdom - I had absolutely no idea what Butlin's was. So naturally I decided to spend a weekend at the closest one I could find, stat. For some context - I moved from India to the UK in June last year and holiday parks were not a popular concept back at home. In fact, you'd be hard-pressed to find one, especially of the same scale and renown. So off I went to Butlin's Bognor Regis to have myself a 'typically British' holiday break. To be fair, Butlin's isn't a holiday park. ‌ It's a holiday resort with all the frills and fancies to keep oneself entertained within its (expansive) boundary walls. Although a literal stone's throw away from the beach, that's not the Butlin's USP. The resort chain prides itself at having enough activities on offer within its premises that guests don't feel the need to turn to the beach for excitement. ‌ Walking into Butlin's with my partner during the May Bank Holiday weekend, almost immediately two things were crystal clear. One, my partner and I were perhaps the only child-free couple for miles. And two, it was going to be a wild weekend. The Rooms Butlin's Bognor Regis has three hotels within its premises - the Shoreline, Ocean, and Wave Hotels - along with the Comfort range of rooms and apartments. I was staying at the Wave Hotel which was fairly close to the action, and quite frankly, delightful. Entering the room, we were greeted by a neon blue glow (it was there in the name, really), yellow interiors, and the most adorable junior room for kids - outfitted with bunkbeds and a quirky porthole on the door. My 30-year-old self was so excited to have a lie-in on those bunk beds (complete with their own mini-TVs on each level), that I could only imagine how chuffed a child would be to have that space all to themselves. Entertainment Butlin's signature white tents hold a whole world within themselves. Complete with an arcade, a bowling alley, pool tables, a couple of bars, restaurants, and a few stages for entertainment shows in and around the space - it's hard to imagine being bored within its tented walls. ‌ You best believe I was a sucker for the arcade games, enjoying myself as much as the swarms of elated children around me. On closer inspection, I found I wasn't the only adult indulging. Seeing the parents in my vicinity become kids themselves was a joy to watch. A spirited game of bowling and a few rounds of pool later, I was in my 11-year-old self's childhood paradise. For those with kids, there were heaps of live shows on offer including The Masked Singer hosted by Mark Rhodes (of Crackerjack and CBBCs Junior Bake Off fame) featuring masked celebrity participants, Electric Wonderland, Iconic, Snow White and her Magnificent Friends, Animals and Mythical Beasts, and even a meet-and-greet with Gladiators stars Cyclone and Nitro. They were always jam-packed, and with the energy radiating out of them, it wasn't difficult to understand why. The PLAYXPERIENCE ‌ A brand-new addition to Butlin's Bognor Regis' already jam-packed holiday resort is the PLAYXPERIENCE. Having opened its doors to the public in October 2024, the PLAYXPERIENCE was definitely a highlight of my first-ever Butlin's weekend. Sprawled over two floors and nearly 50,000 square feet, it's undoubtedly a haven for gamers and fans of modern tech. A VR Cade featuring state-of-the-art VR games, laser tag, techputt (mini-golf), digi darts, escape rooms, glow pong, shuffleboard, a batting cage, and neo games - there's something for everyone is this gamer's paradise. ‌ Equipped with a bar and cafe within the premises, it was safe to say me and my passion fruit daiquiri had a great time while indulging in some neon mini golf. Another definite highlight was playing laser tag with mischievous kids and their equally (over) enthusiastic parents. Turns out, adrenaline-fuelled, cutthroat competitiveness is all one needs to get the morning going. As we squared off into four teams, it was once again apparent to me that the adults were enjoying themselves as much as the kids. That seemed to be the magic of Butlin's. Food and drink ‌ The Butlin's all inclusive drinks package felt like a no-brainer. With a good selection of cocktails, spirits, beers, ciders, wines, mocktails, Costa coffee, and soft drinks on offer - it's almost worth walking around with a pulsing neon-orange wristband for three days. It helps that most of the drinks are fairly delicious and get the job more than done. And with well-placed bars and restaurants throughout the resort site, we never had to go too long without refreshments. There were plenty of options no matter what your budget, whether we were after breakfast or a buffet dinner. We had the premium dining package booked which sorted our breakfast and dinner on each of the days. Breakfast timings were 8am to 10:30am on all days, and while the spread was extensive and catered to both kids and adults, the actual taste and quality of the food was average for me. But I guess you can't have everything. ‌ We were also surprised when we walked in at 10am the first day - I guess everyone wakes up really, really early as we definitely felt like the odd ones out, with people looking at us like we had two heads! The next day we made it at 9.45am but I still think everyone gets up really early and fuels up - which for me, being the person who likes to maximise sleep and get breakfast at the last minute, was not ideal. Fairground and Splash Waterworld A cute little fairground was the cherry on top of my Butlin's weekend. From go-karts and adventure golf, to mini-rides and a trampoline - the pre-booked All-Action Pass proved to be a success. My inner Lewis Hamilton came out to play in a spirited round of karting (in which I came first - and no, it doesn't matter that I was one of a handful of adults competing against mainly children). While I didn't take a swim, the faces of happy families walking around with wet hair and huge smiles plastered on their faces was enough to tell me it would've been a fun experience (when it wasn't raining and unbelievably windy). So, how did my first Butlin's visit rank as far as holidays go? Three days of fun, games, activities, and kids. Lots and lots and lots of kids. Perhaps the next time I'll return is when I have a little one of my own. Book the holiday Butlin's offers a three-night Showtime Weekend break featuring staying in a two bedroom Ocean Hotel room in Bognor Regis from £269 on 11 July 2025. Price is based on a two adults sharing and includes all live shows and activities with free flow access to the pool, unlimited fairground rides and access to PLAYXPERIENCE. Dining packages start from £24.95 per adult, per day, £14.95 per junior (6-14), per day and £6.80 per child (2-5). To find out more head to

Daily Mirror

a day ago

• Daily Mirror

'I had never heard of Butlin's but the moment I turned up I knew it'd be wild'

As a resident of the United Kingdom, I was recently told that going to a Butlin's was a rite of passage. As a relatively new resident of the United Kingdom — I had absolutely no idea what Butlin's was. So naturally I decided to spend a weekend at the closest one I could find, stat. For some context — I moved from India to the UK in June last year and holiday parks were not a popular concept back at home. In fact, you'd be hard-pressed to find one, especially of the same scale and renown. So off I went to Butlin's Bognor Regis to have myself a 'typically British' holiday break. To be fair, Butlin's isn't a holiday park. It's a holiday resort with all the frills and fancies to keep oneself entertained within its (expansive) boundary walls. Although a literal stone's throw away from the beach, that's not the Butlin's USP. The resort chain prides itself at having enough activities on offer within its premises that guests don't feel the need to turn to the beach for excitement. Walking into Butlin's with my partner during the May Bank Holiday weekend, almost immediately two things were crystal clear. One, my partner and I were perhaps the only child-free couple for miles. And two, it was going to be a wild weekend. Butlin's Bognor Regis has three hotels within its premises — the Shoreline, Ocean, and Wave Hotels — along with the Comfort range of rooms and apartments. I was staying at the Wave Hotel which was fairly close to the action, and quite frankly, delightful. Entering the room, we were greeted by a neon blue glow (it was there in the name, really), yellow interiors, and the most adorable junior room for kids — outfitted with bunkbeds and a quirky porthole on the door. My 30-year-old self was so excited to have a lie-in on those bunk beds (complete with their own mini-TVs on each level), that I could only imagine how chuffed a child would be to have that space all to themselves. Butlin's signature white tents hold a whole world within themselves. Complete with an arcade, a bowling alley, pool tables, a couple of bars, restaurants, and a few stages for entertainment shows in and around the space — it's hard to imagine being bored within its tented walls. You best believe I was a sucker for the arcade games, enjoying myself as much as the swarms of elated children around me. On closer inspection, I found I wasn't the only adult indulging. Seeing the parents in my vicinity become kids themselves was a joy to watch. A spirited game of bowling and a few rounds of pool later, I was in my 11-year-old self's childhood paradise. For those with kids, there were heaps of live shows on offer including The Masked Singer hosted by Mark Rhodes (of Crackerjack and CBBCs Junior Bake Off fame) featuring masked celebrity participants, Electric Wonderland, Iconic, Snow White and her Magnificent Friends, Animals and Mythical Beasts, and even a meet-and-greet with Gladiators stars Cyclone and Nitro. They were always jam-packed, and with the energy radiating out of them, it wasn't difficult to understand why. A brand-new addition to Butlin's Bognor Regis' already jam-packed holiday resort is the PLAYXPERIENCE. Having opened its doors to the public in October 2024, the PLAYXPERIENCE was definitely a highlight of my first-ever Butlin's weekend. Sprawled over two floors and nearly 50,000 square feet, it's undoubtedly a haven for gamers and fans of modern tech. A VR Cade featuring state-of-the-art VR games, laser tag, techputt (mini-golf), digi darts, escape rooms, glow pong, shuffleboard, a batting cage, and neo games — there's something for everyone is this gamer's paradise. Equipped with a bar and cafe within the premises, it was safe to say me and my passion fruit daiquiri had a great time while indulging in some neon mini golf. Another definite highlight was playing laser tag with mischievous kids and their equally (over) enthusiastic parents. Turns out, adrenaline-fuelled, cutthroat competitiveness is all one needs to get the morning going. As we squared off into four teams, it was once again apparent to me that the adults were enjoying themselves as much as the kids. That seemed to be the magic of Butlin's. The Butlin's all inclusive drinks package felt like a no-brainer. With a good selection of cocktails, spirits, beers, ciders, wines, mocktails, Costa coffee, and soft drinks on offer — it's almost worth walking around with a pulsing neon-orange wristband for three days. It helps that most of the drinks are fairly delicious and get the job more than done. And with well-placed bars and restaurants throughout the resort site, we never had to go too long without refreshments. There were plenty of options no matter what your budget, whether we were after breakfast or a buffet dinner. We had the premium dining package booked which sorted our breakfast and dinner on each of the days. Breakfast timings were 8am to 10:30am on all days, and while the spread was extensive and catered to both kids and adults, the actual taste and quality of the food was average for me. But I guess you can't have everything. We were also surprised when we walked in at 10am the first day - I guess everyone wakes up really, really early as we definitely felt like the odd ones out, with people looking at us like we had two heads! The next day we made it at 9.45am but I still think everyone gets up really early and fuels up - which for me, being the person who likes to maximise sleep and get breakfast at the last minute, was not ideal. A cute little fairground was the cherry on top of my Butlin's weekend. From go-karts and adventure golf, to mini-rides and a trampoline — the pre-booked All-Action Pass proved to be a success. My inner Lewis Hamilton came out to play in a spirited round of karting (in which I came first - and no, it doesn't matter that I was one of a handful of adults competing against mainly children). While I didn't take a swim, the faces of happy families walking around with wet hair and huge smiles plastered on their faces was enough to tell me it would've been a fun experience (when it wasn't raining and unbelievably windy). So, how did my first Butlin's visit rank as far as holidays go? Three days of fun, games, activities, and kids. Lots and lots and lots of kids. Perhaps the next time I'll return is when I have a little one of my own. Butlin's offers a three-night Showtime Weekend break featuring staying in a two bedroom Ocean Hotel room in Bognor Regis from £269 on 11 July 2025. Price is based on a two adults sharing and includes all live shows and activities with free flow access to the pool, unlimited fairground rides and access to PLAYXPERIENCE. Dining packages start from £24.95 per adult, per day, £14.95 per junior (6-14), per day and £6.80 per child (2-5). To find out more head to

Daily Mail​

a day ago

• Daily Mail​

Ryanair demands urgent intervention as passengers face long delays and missed flights at major airport

Ryanair has demanded the Portuguese government 'urgently fix' staffing issues at airports across the country that have led to almost 300 passengers miss their flights. Europe's largest budget airline said the those that have managed to fly, including many travelling with young children, were being left to endure delays of up to two and a half hours. The problems are 'completely unacceptable', said Ryanair. Ongoing border control staff shortages at Faro, Lisbon, and Porto airports have been blamed for the issue, which are leading to 'excessive' queues. The carrier said that 'urgent action' is needed, especially during the peak morning period. It claims that during the two-week period from 26 May to 9 June, 270 passengers departing the affected airports missed their flights. Neal McMahon, Ryanair COO, criticised airport operator ANA Aeroportos de Portugal for the chaos. He blamed it for failing to ensure that 'adequate staff are in place to manage border control'. He added: 'This is not good enough, and the problem will only worsen as we go further into the summer season and traffic numbers increase.' Earlier this month, Portugal's minister of infrastructure, Miguel Pinto Luz, attempted to reassure tourists, promising that issues around border control would be 'resolved within two weeks', according to The Mirror. Ivaylo Danailov, CEO of airline compensation specialists SkyRefund, is warning that those caught up in the problems could be in line for some money under European Union rules. 'When severe border control delays at Portugal's major airports cause missed flights, airline passengers may be entitled to compensation or rerouting under EU Regulation 261/2004, especially if the airline could have mitigated the disruption. However, he added that it's a 'grey area'. 'Airlines are not required to pay compensation if a delay or missed flight was due to factors outside their control, such as political instability, extreme weather, or airport staff strikes (which includes border control issues not managed by the airline). 'But, if the airline could have reasonably foreseen the disruption, for example, repeated border delays and failed to act, it has been known for courts to have sometimes ruled in favour of the passenger. 'For instance, they may argue the airline should have allowed more time for security and border procedures or co-ordinated better. 'Either way passengers have a right to care and rebooking.' Vinci Airports, which operates the three airports under its ANA Aeroportos de Portugal subsidiary, has been contacted for comment. British tourists have begun using e-gates at Faro Airport after a deal was struck with the UK government. Since Brexit, Britons arriving at EU airports have generally been forced to queue for manned desks to have their passports stamped, rather than use automated gates with facial recognition technology – leading to long waits, particularly during peak periods. The Portuguese airport has started the rollout of e-gate access to British arrivals after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer confirmed an agreement with EU leaders last month. It hopes the deal will smooth over 'legal barriers to e-gates use for UK nationals', once a new stamp-free biometric Entry/Exit System (EES) launches in October.