Strikes to Disrupt Ferry Service, Air Travel in Greece

Warn your clients: Strikes are set to disrupt travel in Greece over the next two days.

According to Deutsche Welle, a journalist and ferry worker strike began Tuesday and is set to last through tomorrow, cutting off many popular tourist islands without an airport from the mainland.

The U.S. Embassy in Greece reports that the strike will continue tomorrow, shutting down local transportation and potentially disrupting air travel, as well as bringing demonstrations to major public areas.

According to the embassy, air traffic controllers will strike between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Wednesday, potentially causing flight cancellations or delays (all times local). In terms of local transit, buses and yellow buses will be shut down between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m., and between 9 p.m. and midnight, while the Metro and urban trains will be shut down between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m., and between 4 p.m. and midnight. The national and suburban trains will be shut down all day Wednesday, and the ferry strike will continue through Friday, May 19.

Demonstrations will take place at the following locations and times Wednesday:

  • Kaniggos Square, Omonia Square, Monastiraki Square – 9:30 a.m.
  • Kotzia Square – 10:00 a.m.
  • Archeological Museum – 10:30 a.m.
  • Klathmonos Square – 11:00 a.m.
  • Kolokotroni Square – 5:00 p.m.

All demonstrations will march to Syntagma.

According to PressTV, the demonstrations are to protest Greece’s agreement with a number of international creditors, including the European Commission, European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund, that will cause a new slate of tax hikes and spending cuts to take effect following the country’s third bailout in 2018. A Parliament vote on the matter is scheduled for Thursday.

Keep visiting www.travelagentcentral.com for further updates to this developing story.