Allison Lampert and Inti Landauro

(Reuters] – European airports struggle to hire workers and decrease cancellations, and are trying to reduce the number of headaches that travellers experience during busy summer months.

France’s Charles De Gaulle international airport workers will strike for higher pay on Thursday. Half of the flights are cancelled. Crews of budget airlines Ryanair (LON) and Volotea quit the job in Italy on Wednesday.

Ryanair cabin crew members could strike this summer in Europe, following talks with Spanish unions. According to statements by the unions SITCPLA/USO (NYSE:).

As a result of a recovery in airline travel following a slump caused by the pandemic, airport managers find it difficult to recruit new employees quickly and to process them efficiently.

Airline companies, which were hit by the collapse of travel in the aftermath of the pandemic have been hoping for a good summer as higher fuel costs offset by rising fares. Some countries have also turned to tourism as a way of reviving their hard-hit economies.

International Air Transport Association (IATA), the head of an airline trade association, stated that heavy congestion occurred prior to the pandemic. Now it is limited to some airports. This has been aggravated due to delays in getting security badges needed for newly hired staff.

According to Tori Gass (a spokesperson for the Greater Toronto Airports Authority), Canada’s busiest airport allows some employees who are not yet able to obtain their badges temporarily, under the supervision of vetted workers.

Gass stated that the temporary pass was introduced recently at Toronto Pearson International Airport to address high volumes of applications for restricted-area identity cards (RAIC). The cards are available in approximately 45 days.

Transport Canada reported that it had received 13722 national applications for clearances for airport staff like baggage handlers or ramp agents in the first quarter 2022. This is an increase of the 5,968 requests in the previous period 2021.

Pearson has to contend with planes stuck at airport gates, and long security lines because of staff shortages.

Omar Alghabra (Canadian Transport Minister) said Wednesday that he has been working with his partners to hire more screening staff.

Alghabra stated to reporters, “We are acting.”

The European airports of Heathrow and Dublin are currently recruiting screeners. Schipol Airport, Amsterdam, is increasing wages.

Spain announced Tuesday the addition of 500 police officers to handle passport control at Madrid’s busy airports.

The United States has a tendency to minimize congestion at airports. However, airlines have had to trim their summer schedules and cancel flights due to staff shortages.

Alaska Air Group Inc (NYSE:) Last month, 4% of its flights were cancelled due to staffing problems. Delta Air Lines (NYSE 🙂 cancelled 700 flights in the Memorial Day period. They plan to reduce flights throughout August.

Spain’s interior minister said that congestion reports at borders were due to several flights landing at once. CEHAT (the country’s biggest business association for lodging and hotels) said delays can be avoided because of the restrictions on British citizens traveling to Spain.

Jorge Marichal (CEHAT President) stated that the situation “should not have surprised us,” in a Wednesday statement.