The delay occurred amid widespread European aviation disruptions on March 27, 2026, when 2,018 flights were delayed or cancelled across the continent, including 1,933 delays and 85 cancellations. Amsterdam Schiphol recorded the most delays at 327, followed by Frankfurt International with 278 and Paris Charles de Gaulle with 273. m.
at 12 Spanish airports, including Madrid-Barajas, Barcelona El Prat, Málaga, and Palma de Mallorca, and is set to continue indefinitely on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The action coincides with Holy Week, which runs from March 29 to April 6, and a planned Menzies strike on March 28 and April 2-6 at 11 airports. According to sources, an air traffic control strike at A Coruña is described as 'all but inevitable' for Easter weekend.
Icelandair and its subsidiary Air Iceland Connect each had 12 cancellations on the same day, with route suspensions confirmed. EasyJet had the highest delay volume among low-cost carriers, while Air France reported 8 cancellations and 140 delays. Under EU261 rules, passengers are not owed compensation for weather or air traffic control disruptions, but are entitled to care such as meals after a two-hour wait and hotel accommodation overnight regardless of the cause.
Compensation is due for airline-caused cancellations or delays exceeding three hours. Looking ahead, Brussels Airport has asked airlines to cancel around 50% of departing passenger flights on May 12, 2026, due to a nationwide trade union demonstration involving security and ground-handling staff. The disruption is expected to mainly affect departing flights, with arrivals facing limited impact but possible connection issues.
Compensation under EC 261 is unlikely because the action involves airport-service staff rather than airline staff, though airlines should still provide rerouting or refunds and care. This will be the ninth union-led action to hit air traffic at Brussels Airport since the beginning of 2025. Icelandair has faced its own labor challenges.
The airline permanently terminated its cabin crew members after failing to agree on a collective bargaining agreement with the Icelandic Cabin Crew Association, and from July 20 onwards, pilots will assume responsibility for onboard safety. The flight attendants had no valid contract since January 2019, and on July 8, union members rejected a new agreement that had been reached by negotiation committees. According to local sources, the union said Icelandair's proposal to increase working hours without pay increases amounted to a 40% pay cut.
Staff shortages contributed to the cancellation of two international Icelandair flights to Seattle and Copenhagen after replacement pilots could not be found. Talks over pay and conditions between Icelandair and pilots have been referred to the State Mediator. The broader European aviation industry continues to grapple with staffing shortages stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, when mass layoffs, early retirements, and hiring freezes led to a loss of experienced personnel.
Airlines struggled to rebuild their workforce after the unexpected travel demand surge post-2022, resulting in reduced flight capacity, crew scheduling bottlenecks, ground operation delays, and knock-on effects.