UK strikes: When are the South Western Railway and Ryanair walkouts taking place?

First week of summer holidays off to chaotic start for travellers as key carriers in dispute with staff

Britain is facing a new run of air and rail strikes this week, promising further summer transport frustration.

Staff working for both Ryanair and South Western Railway are staging industrial action over issues relating to working conditions.

Here’s everything you need to know.

When are the strikes taking place?

Following the cancellation of 24 flights on Friday 20 July, Ryanair’s pilots also walked out on Tuesday 24 July.

The Irish airline’s cabin crew is on strike on all flights to and from Spain, Portugal, Italy and Belgium on Wednesday 25 and to and from Spain, Portugal and Belgium on Thursday 26.

The action, meaning the cancellation of approximately 600 trips, has been timed to coincide with the first week of the summer holiday and place maximum pressure on management.

In addition, South Western Railway (SWR) staff are on strike all-day on Thursday 26, Saturday 28 and Tuesday 31 July, followed by the first three Saturdays in August and a 48-hour strike on Friday August 31 and Saturday 1 September.

This will apply across the network and hit journeys into London terminating at Waterloo, Victoria, Clapham Junction, Wimbledon and Richmond stations.

Another strike to bear in mind is one involving Eurostar workers based at London's St Pancras station, who will walk out for 24 hours on Saturday 28 July.

Why are staff going on strike?

Ryanair’s pilots – of whom almost 100 are taking part in the action organised by their union, Forsa - are unhappy with conditions in place for their annual leave, promotions and the allocation of base transfers.

The company’s cabin crew have meanwhile issued the company’s boss, Michael O’Leary, with a list of 34 demands relating to their salaries and safety, asking for a reduction in the number of agency hires drafted in and the right to sick pay.

On Britain’s railways, SWR employees who are members of the RMT union are downing tools in a dispute over the future of guards on trains.

“RMT is making a very simple request of South Western Railway – that they take note of what is going on elsewhere in the rail industry and come forward with serious proposals that give a cast-iron guarantee of guards on their services and a halt to the rolling out of driver-only operation,” said Mick Cash, RMT general secretary.

For its part, SWR said it was “disappointed” at the development and pledged to keep passengers updated and minimise disruption to normal services.

The Eurostar strike is meanwhile being staged by 140 RMT members to protest service breakdowns en route to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam, a source of public anger which was directed at staff.

What can you do if you are affected?

Ryanair has said it will text and email passengers notifying them if their booking will be affected and offer a refund or an alternative flight.

Airlines are further obligated to come to the assistance of passengers in the event that a flight is delayed under EU regulation 261/2004, meaning stranded holidaymakers can appeal for meals and accommodation - dependent on the length of the delay and distance of the flight in question.

This does not usually extend to compensation as strikes are ruled to be “extraordinary circumstances” because they are beyond the control of the carrier.

However, the UK's Civil Aviation Authority has said that passengers will be entitled to compensation over the cancellations due to the lack of notice they received, setting up a feud with Ryanair, which insists it had no choice and will not pay out.

This article has been updated. It was originally published on 23rd July 2018.