Airport security staff in Barcelona announce new wave of strikes

BORDER security staff at Barcelona airport have announced a fresh wave of one-hour strikes after talks with management broke down.

Staff of the private security company Eulen at Barcelona’s El Prat airport, are demanding better conditions and more staff, claiming they work up to 16 hours a day.

More strikes have been scheduled for today (Sunday) and on Monday as part of a regular pattern of disruption if their demands are not met.

Travellers have been advised by their airlines to arrive at the airport at least three hours before the scheduled take-off time. But the security staff walkouts at El Prat have so far reportedly caused queues lasting up to eight hours.

Thousands of passengers have missed flights as a result of the strikes, while delays caused as a result of new EU regulation checks have also caused delays at other Spanish airports.

The new detailed checks apply to people travelling to and from the UK because Britain is not a member of the open-border Schengen Area.

Experts have said that passengers who miss their flights will not be entitled to claim compensation because the delays are not the fault of the airlines.