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A strike by the Finnish Aviation Union (IAU) has caused major disruptions across Europe, with ground services at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport brought to a standstill. The industrial action, which began on July 2, has led to the cancellation or delay of over 100 flights and disrupted travel for more than 7,000 passengers.
Essential services such as baggage handling, check-in, and gate operations have been severely impacted. Finnair, the flag carrier of Finland, has borne the brunt of the disruption, although other airlines using Helsinki as a hub have also been affected.
Airports in Germany, Denmark, Sweden, France, Belgium, Italy, the UK, Norway, Iceland, and Latvia have reported knock-on effects, with Finnair cancellations ranging from 25% to 75% of scheduled flights at affected locations.
The following major disruptions have been reported:
- Helsinki-Vantaa (FI): 64 cancellations, 14 delays
- Berlin-Brandenburg (DE): 6 cancellations (75% of Finnair services)
- Stockholm-Arlanda (SE): 6 cancellations, 1 delay
- Copenhagen (DK): 6 cancellations (46% of Finnair services)
- London Heathrow (UK): 3 cancellations
- Charles de Gaulle (FR): 3 cancellations
- Milan Malpensa (IT): 3 cancellations
- Zurich (CH), Brussels (BE), Riga (LV), and others: 1–4 cancellations each
Additional strike days are scheduled for July 4, 7, 16, 18, 21, and 23, potentially extending the travel disruption further into the peak summer period.
Finnair has activated contingency plans and is assisting passengers with rebooking and refunds. However, ground service limitations are severely hampering recovery efforts.
Passengers are advised to monitor flight status updates and check directly with their airlines before travel.
Helsinki Vantaa Airport Picture by Charles usf1fan2, Flickr
