Stranded travellers back after Spanish air strike

The staff began their unofficial action in a row over pay and conditions, causing the Spanish government to declare a state of alarm which will be in place for the next two weeks.

Workers returned to their shifts last night after being threatened with jail, but officials said it could be days for flights to return to normal. Dozens of services to and from UK airports were grounded as Spanish air space was closed with Ryanair, Easyjet and Iberia all cancelling flights.

Transport Minister Philip Hammond said there had been no advance warning of the strikes, which left hundreds of thousands of tourists, many of them British, stranded.

Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) spokesman Sean Tipton said: "There is still a backlog. Things are getting back to normal but if anyone has a flight tomorrow they should check with their travel provider.

"I would say the majority of people are now back now. Airlines have made it a priority to get them back. As it's a quiet time of year, there has been more availability."

The Foreign Office has changed its travel advice on Spain, urging people to check with their airline or travel operator before setting off to the airport.

A message on its website read: "An unannounced strike by air traffic control is continuing to affect Spanish airports.

"Although latest reports suggest that some air controllers are slowly returning to work and some flights are resuming, we strongly advise anyone planning to fly this weekend or on Monday, either to or from Spain, to contact their airline or travel operator before travelling to the airport.

"Our consular staff in Spain will continue to monitor the situation very closely over the next few days."

The industrial action came in the week that cold weather had caused transport systems in the UK to grind to a halt, closing some airports.

On Saturday Gatwick Airport said 40 flights had been cancelled by midday, and Heathrow Airport also said it had suffered disruption due to the action.

In Manchester, 10 flights were cancelled, with a further 16 outbound flights failing to leave Liverpool John Lennon Airport.

British nationals make about 13 million visits to Spain every year, making it one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world for the UK.

Spanish deputy prime minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba has apologised to the travellers affected and accused air traffic controllers of "blackmailing all of our citizens".

The state of alarm clause, created to help governments deal with catastrophes including earthquakes, floods, and the collapse of public services, had never previously been used in Spain.

The strike, falling on a long weekend in Spain, was launched after the government slashed the overtime allowance of air traffic controllers.

The situation appears to have been exacerbated by a decree approved by the cabinet, under which controllers who miss work shifts because of illness must make up lost hours and can be subject to medical check-ups immediately if they call in sick.

Spanish civil aviation authority Aena calculated more than 600,000 passengers faced travel disruptions and a backlog of flights meant that long lines of disgruntled travellers were still commonplace around the country, including Barcelona and the popular winter destination of the Canary Islands.

Airlines including Ryanair and Easyjet laid on extra flights in a bid to get passengers back to the UK today after thousands were stranded in Spain.

The chaos began on Friday when the wildcat strike began in a row with the government over working conditions and pay. It eventually ended after the government stepped in by calling a state of alarm, threatening striking workers with prison terms.

It is thought about 20,000 British travellers in Spain were affected, with others stuck in the UK unable to take their flights as planned.