In August, Wizz Air will be hit by a series of new strikes that could cause huge disruption for passengers. Find out more about where delays and cancellations are expected

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Employees of GH London Ground Handling Services Ltd will begin a series of new strikes at the end of August. This decision could have serious consequences for Wizz Air passengers, especially those using London Luton Airport.  

Here's where and when passengers can expect numerous delays and flight cancellations.

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New Wizz Air strikes: details

Passengers traveling on Wizz Air flights are being warned to be prepared for significant delays and disruptions after employees of Wizz Air's handling company, GH London Ground Handling Services Ltd, announced that they will go on strike at London Luton Airport at the end of August.

Over 80 Unite members will take part in the first three days of the strike. The first 24-hour strike will take place on August 30, followed by strikes on September 6 and 13.

The announcement of the strikes comes a week after a strike was announced at Gatwick Airport at the end of the month, where workers protested for 8 days over wage disputes.  

A Wizz Air spokesperson said: "We are liaising with Luton Airport and our ground handling partners and are doing our best to limit any disruption to passengers. In the event of any disruption, all passengers who have booked tickets directly with the airline will be contacted by email and SMS and will be informed of their options as new information becomes available."

What should Wizz Air passengers expect?

The strikes affecting Wizz Air come on the heels of a difficult month for the company, which announced it would cancel a number of flights due to accelerated inspections of Pratt & Whitney's GTF engines.

"Customers traveling on the affected flights will be offered an alternative flight schedule, subject to a full refund of the ticket price using the original payment method or a 120% refund of the original fare in the form of a booking credit," the company said.

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What is known about the planned strikes?

The strike involves more than 230 employees of Red Handling, a unionized ground handling company, and Wilson James, which fulfills the airport's passenger transportation contract.

The union said that neither company had made an offer that met the workers' expectations.

Red Handling employees began the first phase of the strike at 12:01 a.m. on August 18, and the strike will end shortly before midnight on Monday, August 21. The second phase of the strike will begin at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, August 25 and end at 23:59 p.m. on Monday, August 28.

The strike at Wilson James will last from August 18 to 20, and then from August 22 to 23:59 on August 24.

Red Handling is responsible for ground handling for Norse Atlantic, Norwegian, Delta, TAP Air Portugal and Saudi. The union expects 216 flights to be canceled or delayed during the first four days of the strike at Red Handling, affecting about 45,000 passengers.

Cancellation of flights at easyJet

Passengers of the low-cost airline easyJet have been affected by similar disruptions.

Last week, the airline announced that it had canceled 1,700 summer flights in July, August and September, mostly from Gatwick Airport, its main base in the UK, affecting 180,000 passengers.

EasyJet is changing flight schedules in advance rather than canceling flights at the last minute, as it did this summer. 95% of passengers affected by the changes have been rebooked, but approximately 9,000 passengers do not currently have access to alternative flights.

To avoid troubles, plan your trip in advance. You can conveniently choose plane, bus or train tickets within Ukraine and between cities around the world here.

Also remember that safety and confidence when traveling abroad is the key to a pleasant experience and unforgettable moments. Do not risk your finances and health and take care of the necessary insurance for the period of your trip, which will protect you from possible troubles.

We remind you! In the coming months, massive flight cancellations are expected in Europe due to planned strikes. Such changes can significantly affect passenger travel. Here's what travelers should expect and how to get compensation for flight cancelations.

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