A century ago strikes typically shut down cities. Now nationwide travel industry strikes instantly affect travelers world wide--which means that an advantage in technology, such as the ability to check alternative routes through a cell phone, has gone from a luxury to a must. Photo courtesty of Wikimedia Commons.
Okay, it was not much of an economic recovery, but it was happening. And although it was barely perceptible, the travel industry was rebounding.
And for a brief moment in time, in the great big world of journeys, voyages and even business trips, life was good.
Then came the most recent spate of travel-related strikes. As they say, when it rains is pours, and this can be considered an absolute truism when it comes to follow-the-leader tendencies of European unions. Now the European traveler is dealing with headaches galore—which, if you can take just a tiny bit of unadulterated company promotion—means that Psiloc’s World Traveler is more relevant than ever.
But first the facts. Lufthansa pilots only just suspended a still-painful strike over worries that they could be replaced by cheaper workers, and on Tuesday, only one day later, French air traffic controllers walked off the job and British Airways cabin crews decided to go on strike as well, with the dates and details still to be announced. Meanwhile, basically the entire country of Greece was in the hold phase as unions shut down anything and everything they could possible shut down.
Needless to say, by midweek, the European travel sector was reeling. The French strike caused mass flight cancellations, and the combined one-two punch of the Lufthansa and French air-traffic controllers strike was a headache for the traveler equaled perhaps only by the worse of this year’s winter weather. Toss in Greek strikes, Spanish protests and the coming British Airways strike, and the odds of getting to your destination on time is beginning to look like a roll of the dice.
In hindsight, analysts were the first to say we all should have seen it coming. Generally speaking, the strikes are happening for one reason and one reason only. Europeans are worried about losing “traditional” social benefits and in some cases jobs—and in a sluggish economy both businesses and governments are under continued pressure to cut back. Add to this the general trend that fewer and fewer travelers are opting for high-end first, business or club-class seating and profits are only getting harder to come by.
Yet the strikes are also happening in part because strikes and civic unrest in the form of mass protests are very much a European tradition. While U.S. labor unions are known for tough negotiations and strikes, the thought of a Greek scenario—i.e. shutting down the country with strikes and protests in part because the Spanish retirement age may be raised by two years—is difficult to imagine. NAFTA is not by a long shot the EU, but still envisioning a U.S.-wide, multi-business and government strike in the U.S. because Canadians are also debating a raised retirement age belongs less to the sphere of reality than science fiction.
Which begs the question, how well will integration work over the long term? Currency issues are one thing, but more and more “Old EU” Europeans are waking up to realize that more EU members (or even greater integration between “Old EU” states) means more competition. Put even more simply, it means an increased likelihood that someone will do what they do for less money, less vacation time and perhaps even do it with a smile.
Make no bones about it, this frightens the masses. Which means that more European strikes are likely if not inevitable even among “new EU” members. Don’t believe me? In the wake of German, British, Spanish and Greek strikes—all of which hurt or have the potential to hurt the travel industry—Czech transport unions also announced they were also contemplating strikes.
Instability. Chaos. You name it. Despite the amenities of modern travel, getting from point A to point B is beginning to look remarkably like the journeys of yesteryear. Flights depart when they depart. The arrive when they arrive if they are not diverted by the results of social unrest.
Which brings us back to World Traveler. No, we don’t have a crystal ball, and we cannot install one on your phone, but we do have our recently released Flights plug-in, which allows you to check alternative flights or available flights at will through your cell phone. Travelers who have been stuck through canceled flights or changed routes will probably see the value of such a plug-in immediately. Not only can you skip waiting in long airport lines to try to figure out “plan B,” but when you do march up to the ticket agent, you will be armed with all of the knowledge you need.
No, a hurried (and harried) airline ticket agent or ombudsman will not be able to brush you off with whatever comes up first on his screen. No, he or she will not be able to give you that “take-it-or-leave-it” shrug that too many of us travelers have encountered much too often.
Yes, you may just be able to find an alternative route and make it to your destination on time.
As they say, knowledge is power. And in times like these you are going to need all of the power you can get.
By Preston Smith, editor, Psiloc
This blogger can be reached at preston.smith@psiloc.com.
