Why Are Airline Strikes Disrupting Travel So Often in 2025?

So far this year, there have been at least ten strikes worldwide, each with its own unique reasons; though, you guessed it, wage disputes played a role in all of them.

Here’s a rundown of the three most notable events.

French air traffic controllers (ATCs) held a two‑day strike on July 3–4 due to chronic understaffing, outdated equipment, and poor working conditions. 

The union expressed strong frustration with what it described as disrespectful behavior from senior management toward ATCs. They also called for changes in how shifts, schedules, and internal oversight are handled.

Controllers also demanded salary adjustments to compensate for inflation and rising living costs.

Over 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants walked out, marking the carrier’s first cabin‑crew strike in 40 years. 

The key issue was that flight attendants are only paid when the aircraft is in motion, meaning from brake release at departure to brake application on arrival. Tasks performed before takeoff, such as boarding, safety briefings, and cabin preparation, as well as those performed after landing, are not compensated. 

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) claimed that attendants perform, on average, 35 hours of unpaid labor per month.

Beyond ground pay, the union also demanded improvements in pensions, benefits, seniority rules, and working conditions.

The strike began on August 16 and lasted four days.

KLM’s ground crew at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport held three strikes in September.

The ground crew, which includes baggage handlers, ramp personnel, and check-in staff, organized strikes under the unions FNV and CNV, demanding higher wages and better working conditions.

The workers rejected a negotiated collective labor agreement that granted 2.25 percent wage increases to other unions representing pilots and board members, arguing that ground staff deserved fairer compensation in line with inflation and the physically demanding nature of their jobs.

Yes, but partially.

The CUPE strike put an end to unpaid ground work for flight attendants, which had been a central sticking point. The strike pushed the airline to enter intensive negotiations, reaching a tentative agreement. 

However, when the union members voted on the deal, almost everyone rejected the pay part, showing they’re still fighting for better wages. Even so, the strike did bring meaningful improvements in work conditions and pay for previously unpaid ground duties. Right now, the negotiations are in mediation.

The strike by French ATCs resulted in commitments to improve staffing levels and consider pay raises. While not all demands were immediately met, the strike brought attention to systemic workforce issues and secured short-term concessions.

Meanwhile, the KLM ground staff and the airline have entered mediation. The timeline for reaching an agreement is set until November 1, giving the parties about three weeks to negotiate before further industrial action could be considered.

Ultimately, all these strikes were well-planned actions that leveraged passenger inconvenience to secure concessions from employers or the government.

Historically speaking, results always differ. 

First, the success of strikes depends on the dynamics of negotiation.

For example, in March 2025, public-sector employees, ground staff, and security workers at 13 German airports coordinated a 24-hour strike, leading to the cancellation of 1,054 out of 1,116 scheduled takeoffs and landings.

This "warning strike" was organized by the Ver.di union due to stalled wage negotiations with the German government. The union threatened further strike action, which put immense pressure on the government and employers.

The next day, negotiations continued and ultimately led to wage increases and improved contract terms for airport workers.

The level of member support and team spirit is also key.

In February 1985, the Transport Workers Union (TWU), representing Pan Am Airways workers, went on strike after failing to reach an agreement on pay and working conditions.

However, other key unions, notably the pilots' union (ALPA), chose not to join or crossed picket lines early, resuming work. This weakened the strike's effectiveness and bargaining power, and as a result, the airline denied the union’s demands.

Finally, the political climate can be a defining factor.

In August 1981, almost 13,000 members of the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO) went on strike.

President Ronald Reagan issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the protesters, ordering them to return to work. When most did not comply, Reagan responded brutally—he fired over 11,000 workers and banned them from federal service for life.

The Reagan administration had prepared contingency plans well in advance, including training new controllers, recalling military controllers and supervisors, and reallocating staff. These replacement workers kept ATC operations functioning, which significantly undermined union leverage.

Moreover, the strike did not receive public sympathy, with the majority of Americans supporting Reagan's firing of the air traffic controllers. 

Severely.

For example, strikes in ATC are among the most sensitive, with the French ATC strike affecting nearly 300,000 passengers across France and European airspace, resulting in about 1,500 canceled flights.

ATC workers manage the movement of aircraft, and when they strike, airlines are forced to impose restrictions, reroute flights via longer routes, or hold planes on the ground, which in turn causes delays and higher fuel consumption.

Strikes involving pilots or flight attendants directly reduce the number of available flight crews, causing airlines to cancel flights or rearrange schedules. For example, the four-day Air Canada strike stranded over 500,000 passengers and led to 3,200 flight cancellations.

Finally, here’s how even the shortest strikes can cause disruption: A two-hour strike by KLM ground staff on September 10 resulted in over 100 cancelled flights at Schiphol, affecting about 27,000 passengers.

Strikes by ground staff slow or halt vital functions, including baggage loading, aircraft servicing, check-in, and security screening, thereby adding to travel delays.

Carriers and airports suffer big financial hits.

Flight cancellations during strikes immediately strip airlines of ticket revenue, while obliging them to compensate affected passengers through refunds, alternative flight bookings, paid meals and lodging for extended delays, and travel vouchers or loyalty credits to maintain goodwill.

Extended service disruptions also harm airline reputations and can drive frustrated travelers to competitors. Adverse publicity and social media backlash require investment in marketing and public relations to restore brand image.

For example, Air Canada disclosed that it would lose approximately CA$375 million (US$270 million) from its 2025 operating income as a result of the four-day strike. 

At the same time, airports suffer from reduced passenger numbers, which leads to lower revenues from passenger fees, retail, parking, food and beverage outlets, and car rentals.

In short, unions amplify workers’ voices and play a central role in labor disputes. 

They negotiate contracts on behalf of all workers and, if necessary, vote to strike to pressure employers or governments.

For example, when KLM’s management stalled on negotiated offers, FNV and CNV unions coordinated multiple strikes throughout September 2025. 

Unions also shape public messaging, emphasizing the hardships faced by workers to win public sympathy.

At the end of the strikes, unions typically submit a tentative agreement to their members for a vote.

CUPE (representing flight attendants) reached a tentative agreement with Air Canada after weeks of pressure. The union continues to monitor the implementation of the contract and has the right to call further strikes if the terms are not fully honored.

The primary reason for the increase in strikes in 2025 compared to recent years is inflation.

After several years of relatively low inflation, many countries experienced sharp increases in living costs, including housing, food, energy, etc. As a result, workers (in our case, pilots, cabin crew, ground staff, and ATC) often found that salary increases negotiated in prior years were no longer sufficient to keep up. 

Their complaints also include duties that have traditionally gone unpaid, such as boarding, cleaning, and extended waiting periods on the ground.

With rising costs, workers are less willing to accept those unpaid tasks.