Peak season Budapest Airport strike raises fears of travel chaos
Travellers flying through Budapest Airport this summer could face major disruptions, as wage disputes between staff unions and the airport operator edge closer to a strike.
Strike to come at Budapest Airport?
As Pénzcentrum writes, tensions are mounting at Budapest Airport as a potential strike threatens to disrupt operations at the Hungarian airport during the peak summer travel season. Aviation unions and the airport operator remain deadlocked after multiple rounds of negotiations failed to resolve disputes over wages and strike rights. While Budapest Airport has proposed a 4% salary increase, unions are demanding at least 10%, citing the growing workload and inadequate compensation. With school holidays starting on 21 June and a history of travel disruptions last summer, hundreds of thousands of passengers could be affected.
Unions unconvinced
The standoff involves multiple unions, including the United Air Transport Workers’ Union and the Airport Employees’ Union. They argue that Budapest Airport has not provided compelling economic reasons to justify the modest wage offer. Workers are also disillusioned after years of privatisation battles, having hoped that state involvement would lead to improved working conditions and fair pay. However, they now fear a drop in real income, particularly among lower-wage earners.
Minimum service
Another contentious issue is the definition of “sufficient service” during a strike. While Budapest Airport insists on maintaining full operational capacity, unions argue this would effectively neutralise the strike’s impact, violating their legal rights. They insist that service levels during a strike must exert genuine pressure on the employer, or else the strike loses its purpose. With negotiations stalled since April, a legal showdown may be on the horizon unless a compromise is reached.
Peak season
The timing of the dispute could not be worse. Eurocontrol forecasts a 3.7% increase in European flights this summer, with Budapest Airport expecting a 9.8% rise in its traffic, about 71,000 flights and over 40,000 passengers daily. The airport’s infrastructure, including 76 check-in desks and 20 screening gates, is already stretched thin. Any labour disruption could push the system to breaking point, leading to severe delays and congestion during one of the busiest travel periods in Europe.
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