News about the world: Spain flight delay as strike ends

Airlines and tour operators are legally obliged to provide assistance to stranded passengers

Thousands of Britons due back from Spain are being warned to expect some delays as airlines resume flights after a strike by air traffic controllers.

Up to 20,000 UK passengers are thought to have been affected by the unofficial walk-out which led to flights in and out of Spain being cancelled.

Ryanair cancelled 450 flights on Saturday, and Easyjet 100, owing to the 24-hour wildcat strike from Friday.

Passengers are being advised to contact their airline before travelling.

The Spanish government declared a "state of alarm" and threatened workers with prison terms after they called in sick en masse.

Some staff returned to work on Saturday night, but officials say it could take up to 48 hours before flights return to normal.

Spanish civil aviation authority Aena said airspace reopened on Saturday and a small number of flights resumed at airports including Madrid, Bilbao and Las Palmas in the Canary Islands.

WHAT DO I DO?If you are stranded in Spain your airline is obliged to provide you with food and accommodation or reimburse you for the cost of itIf you are due to travel to Spain speak to your tour operatorIf your tour operator offers you an alternative you are not happy with then you can just ask for a refundThe only people who stand to lose out financially are those who have booked flights and accommodation separately

Source: Abta

Easyjet said it had put up 6,000 passengers - of which about half are thought to be Britons - in hotels. Iberia also cancelled flights between Spain and the UK.

A total of 70 flights were cancelled in and out of Gatwick, 42 at Stansted, and 22 at Heathrow. Manchester suffered 10 cancellations, while 16 flights failed to leave Liverpool John Lennon Airport.

On Saturday, UK travel association Abta said thousands of British passengers were stuck despite it being a fairly quiet time of year.

Spokesman Sean Tipton advised customers to keep in contact with their airline or tour operator.

The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice on Spain and a spokesman said anyone planning to travel there or back this weekend should check with their airline before going to the airport.

The walk-out came after Spain's Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero approved plans to partially privatise airports, which followed an existing dispute about working hours.

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