I already posted something on the shoutbox . But Anybody travelling with Iberia in Spain should be aware of the massive disruption due to this strike . I´m posting a link ( in Spanish ) and you´ll see it includes a PDF file of all the flights due to be cancelled , so far , today ( Monday ) and Tuesday .. more than 400 of them .

http://www.20minutos.es/noticia/550044/0/huelga/iberia/barajas/

Yup. That should cause REAL problems for awhile. Imagine all those reservations delayed or overbooked, all those concert tickets paid for lost, all those paid-for holiday/vacation days missed. That's a true shame.

Saludos, MadridMan

Th crazy thing is that the Unions are now balloting British Airways staff to possibly go on strike . I think their argument is actually very valid as BA are reducing benefits etc.. ( BA will go out of business soon unless the Government intervene ) . But I hate the fact that hard working people , looking for a rest and a holiday away from home are being punished like this . Frankly , I would ban the unions for certain public services .

Steve, I hope you'll keep on posting this information. I'm flying to Madrid from New York on Iberia on November 2 then continuing to Seville November 3. The next week I'll be flying from Seville to Madrid on November 10 and back home to New York on November 17.

I was so glad to get the ticket for only $200 including all taxes. Now I have to worry about this.

Donna .. I´m guessing from your name that you speak Spanish ? .. If so keep an eye on a website called www.20minutos.es .. I check this website every morning and evening for Spanish news . At the top of the page you can even access news of our own city .. "Tu ciudad " ... Maybe look at the news for Madrid as the flight problems all seem to stem from Madrid Barajas airport .
However , I´m going to England this afternoon , for 2 weeks ( On EasyJet ! ) .. But i´ll have my laptop and if I see any info I´ll post it .

Depending on what you read too, BA and Iberia are hoping to merge by the end of the year. That should double the fun.

According to the latest news today at http://www.20minutos.es/noticia/551304/0/barajas/huelga/tripulantes/ , today was the second and last day of the scheduled Iberia strike. Now lets see how far the negotiations get for the raise in salaries.

Saludos, MadridMan

Thanks Steve. I'll keep an eye on the 20 minutos website.

Is there any possibility that the dispute will be settled quickly?

Way out in the open Donna . The unions in Europe can be very stubborn and militant . There is a postal strike right now in the UK .. and talks just failed to solve that . Just have to keep your ear to the ground .

I can't see either this dispute or the BA one being solved quickly. These airlines have to restructure and the unions are not going to like it. I fear more strikes....

Everything has its breaking point and the airlines, including BA, are no exception. Asking for higher wages in times of economic crisis, no matter the business, probably isn't the best plan.

Strikes like these always remind me of the countless strikes held in Detroit's auto industry where higher and higher wages, competitive prices and strengthening competition "paved the way" to their own demise. Is it really "fair" or realistic to request $50+/hour for an assembly-line job?

Wouldn't it be "cool" if the government (or a collective agreement among airlines) would impose an across-the-board set-price for all economy class and business class tickets to like destinations? That way, all the airlines would have equal prices and all companies would be sustainable. They could then distinguish themselves among their equal competitors by offering better services to the passengers. It just seems "wrong" that a jet's cabin, holding 200 seats, sells each seat at about 200 different prices. THERE! I just solved the problem.

Saludos, MadridMan

Hmmmmmmm, not sure about letting governments set prices MM. Mind you, if you think that airline prices are complex have you ever travelled by train in the UK ?

Or whomever. I wouldn't have to be the government to set prices. But since companies wouldn't voluntarily do this it may take the Gov'ment to regulate it. And if all companies had the same prices (high or otherwise) that would encourage better/more modes of transportation at lower prices to pick up the segment of disgruntled society which would/could choose not to travel by airplane.

The idea that I pay 0 Euros for my ticket on some "Super-Oferta" while the guy sitting next to me pays 500 Euros is obscene. I say charge us both/all 300 Euros and allow the airlines to make a living, continue to employ their people without cutting benefits, and (hopefully) providing better services.

Saturn, a car company (now failed - so it doesn't help this anecdote much) in the USA, sold all like-models at the same price, no discounts, no haggling with salespeople, not hidden charges. Everyone got the same price. And for quite a number of years this automaker did well, partly due to this manner of car sales. Why can't the airlines do the same thing?

Saludos, MadridMan

Yeah but governments around the world have deemed (correctly?) price fixing and cartels to be illegal and against our interests. Personally, if I've paid 0 euros, and the guy next to me has paid 500 euros, it's his fault for not looking.

This isn't the problem with the airline industry though, it's more what you said earlier. The established airlines have high costs because they have long term employees with high benefits, pension schemes, etc and pay to train their staff. The budgets, poach trained staff, don't have the same benefits and therefore can offer lower prices.

Iberia, BA, Al Italia, Swiss Air (last year) and all the "Flag Carriers" can compete or go bust, and the unions can accept this or loose the jobs of their members. But even with the price fixing you may be suggesting, Iberia would have higher costs than Easyjet and therefore struggle without a restructure.

While doing some trip planning on iberia.com, I came across this info regarding another round of strikes on November 10-11.

News Story

They cancelled my flight from Seville to Madrid on Nov.l0 and gave me a different one that they say will be operating. I'll just go to the airport and see what's goihg on. If it looks like a big hassle, I'll go to the train station and get to Madrid that way and try to get a refund on my Iberia flight later. At least I have that option.

At this point I'm hoping there are more strikes for when I'm scheduled to fly home. It turns out I have the time to stay longer, but I have a very restricted ticket. Perhaps if there's a strike that day they'll allow me to stay an extra week with no penalty.