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| 'Thousands' of British passengers stranded in Spain | 'Thousands' of British passengers stranded in Spain |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Thousands of Britons are thought to be stranded after Spanish air traffic controllers called in sick en masse in a protest over hours and conditions. | Thousands of Britons are thought to be stranded after Spanish air traffic controllers called in sick en masse in a protest over hours and conditions. |
| A state of emergency has been declared and the Spanish military have been ordered to fill the gap left by the walkout. | A state of emergency has been declared and the Spanish military have been ordered to fill the gap left by the walkout. |
| Most of Spain's airspace remains closed with passengers stuck at airports. | Most of Spain's airspace remains closed with passengers stuck at airports. |
| An Abta spokesman said it was a very quiet time of year but there were still "several thousand" Britons stranded. | An Abta spokesman said it was a very quiet time of year but there were still "several thousand" Britons stranded. |
| The state of emergency gives the Spanish government emergency powers to force the air traffic controllers back to work. | The state of emergency gives the Spanish government emergency powers to force the air traffic controllers back to work. |
| Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said: "The Civil Aviation Authority will be in touch with the Spanish authorities to see how long it's going to last." | Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said: "The Civil Aviation Authority will be in touch with the Spanish authorities to see how long it's going to last." |
| He said if the strike lasted more than a couple of days he would be asking airlines and tour operators to organise road transport to bring the Britons home. | |
| There were some signs the dispute might be lifting after about half the controllers at Barcelona airport turned up for work on Friday evening. | |
| But national carrier Iberia has cancelled all flights from Spanish airports until 0500 GMT on Sunday and EasyJet has cancelled all flights to and from Spain, Portugal and Morocco for the rest of Saturday. | |
| In a statement UK BAA, which runs Heathrow, Stansted and Glasgow airports, said: "Spanish airspace is closed so we advise anyone travelling to Spain today to stay home and check with their airline directly as planes will not be landing there today. | In a statement UK BAA, which runs Heathrow, Stansted and Glasgow airports, said: "Spanish airspace is closed so we advise anyone travelling to Spain today to stay home and check with their airline directly as planes will not be landing there today. |
| "Flights to other destinations using Spanish airspace are being re-routed and we are currently not seeing any major disruption." | "Flights to other destinations using Spanish airspace are being re-routed and we are currently not seeing any major disruption." |
| British Airways and Ryanair have cancelled all their flights and cannot rebook people with other carriers. | |
| Sean Tipton of Abta said airlines had a legal duty to look after passengers who were unable to return home. | Sean Tipton of Abta said airlines had a legal duty to look after passengers who were unable to return home. |
| Passenger, Keith Beevor, from Penrith in Cumbria has been stranded at Alicante since last Thursday. | Passenger, Keith Beevor, from Penrith in Cumbria has been stranded at Alicante since last Thursday. |
| He told the BBC: "We have no idea how long we will be waiting for." | He told the BBC: "We have no idea how long we will be waiting for." |
| He said he and his wife checked into the Alicante airport on Thursday evening but were later told to take their bags and check into a hotel. | He said he and his wife checked into the Alicante airport on Thursday evening but were later told to take their bags and check into a hotel. |
| He returned to the airport on Friday but has still not got on a plane. | He returned to the airport on Friday but has still not got on a plane. |
| He said: "People are quite calm at the moment. But things might change if it's a long time before we can get away." | He said: "People are quite calm at the moment. But things might change if it's a long time before we can get away." |
| Paul Wileman, who has been working on a telecommunications contract for the last nine months, was due to fly back to the UK from Madrid. | Paul Wileman, who has been working on a telecommunications contract for the last nine months, was due to fly back to the UK from Madrid. |
| He said: "I was actually sitting on the plane ready to push back when the captain announced there would be no flights in or out. Obviously the plane was full of passengers, some with their young children. | He said: "I was actually sitting on the plane ready to push back when the captain announced there would be no flights in or out. Obviously the plane was full of passengers, some with their young children. |
| "We waited for over an hour before the flight was cancelled. There was no accommodation left in Madrid, and we have no idea when we can get out. | "We waited for over an hour before the flight was cancelled. There was no accommodation left in Madrid, and we have no idea when we can get out. |
| "Fortunately, a family member back home booked a hotel room for me so I am fine." | "Fortunately, a family member back home booked a hotel room for me so I am fine." |
| Mr Wileman said he had booked another flight for Saturday but added: "I'll just have to see what happens. I feel a bit calmer now, but I do think this strike is completely unacceptable." | Mr Wileman said he had booked another flight for Saturday but added: "I'll just have to see what happens. I feel a bit calmer now, but I do think this strike is completely unacceptable." |
| Spain's Deputy Prime Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba warned that if the action continued on Saturday, the government would declare a state of emergency, forcing air traffic controllers to return to work or face criminal prosecution. | Spain's Deputy Prime Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba warned that if the action continued on Saturday, the government would declare a state of emergency, forcing air traffic controllers to return to work or face criminal prosecution. |
| "If a controller does not show up to his work place he will be placed immediately in custody accused of a crime which could mean serious prison sentences," he said. | "If a controller does not show up to his work place he will be placed immediately in custody accused of a crime which could mean serious prison sentences," he said. |
| Madrid's Barajas airport was one of the first to be affected, along with airports in Majorca, Ibiza and Menorca in the Balearic Islands and in Tenerife. | Madrid's Barajas airport was one of the first to be affected, along with airports in Majorca, Ibiza and Menorca in the Balearic Islands and in Tenerife. |
| Abta spokesman Sean Tipton said passengers' right were the same as during the ash cloud crisis in April. | Abta spokesman Sean Tipton said passengers' right were the same as during the ash cloud crisis in April. |
| "The airline has a responsibility to get you home and to provide food and overnight accommodation in the mean time. | "The airline has a responsibility to get you home and to provide food and overnight accommodation in the mean time. |
| "In most cases the airlines will be organising that themselves but if they don't the advice is to keep all your receipts and claim it back when you get home," he said. | "In most cases the airlines will be organising that themselves but if they don't the advice is to keep all your receipts and claim it back when you get home," he said. |
| Juan Ignacio Lema, the chief of the airport operators, Aena, told the controllers to "stop blackmailing the Spanish people". | Juan Ignacio Lema, the chief of the airport operators, Aena, told the controllers to "stop blackmailing the Spanish people". |
| The air traffic controllers were already involved in a dispute about their working hours, but were further angered by austerity measures passed by the government on Friday which would partially privatise the country's airports. | The air traffic controllers were already involved in a dispute about their working hours, but were further angered by austerity measures passed by the government on Friday which would partially privatise the country's airports. |
| Are you at any of the striking airports in Spain? Has the disruption affected your travel plans? Send us your comments using the form below. | Are you at any of the striking airports in Spain? Has the disruption affected your travel plans? Send us your comments using the form below. |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7725 100 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7725 100 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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