Spanish Air Traffic Control Strike Averted: Time to Ditch the Plane?

As well as being one of the least environmentally friendly ways in which to start a holiday, flying is fast becoming one of the most stressful.

Spanish air traffic controllers have just called off a strike which was due to ground planes for three days from August 18th. The walkout was planned to coincide with one of the busiest times of the year and would have caused misery for thousands of British holidaymakers caught up in the disruption.

But the threat has not been lifted completely. Until a deal is signed between the USCA union and management, there remains a possibility of further action if members decide to call for another walkout.

2010 has been a bad year for air travel in general. Back in April the eruption of the Icelandic volcano caused weeks of havoc as flights were grounded and passengers left stranded all over the world. Strikes by British Airways cabin crew caused further disruption throughout May and June and unlike the volcano, the BA dispute is still rumbling on, as well as the recent strike threats by BAA staff who run the majority of British airports.

Add to all this the environmental cost of travelling by plane and it is little wonder that so many Brits are thinking twice before booking a foreign holiday this year. But while UK family breaks can be a lot of fun, there’s often one thing lacking on a British beach holiday – sun.

Luckily there are alternatives to flying for green travellers who want to escape to the continent. Spain is the number one destination for British tourists and is easily accessible by land and sea as well as by air.

Travelling by train by Eurostar opens up a wealth of opportunities to travel around France by road, while better rail connections to European cities are becoming available as a result of heightened customer demand. A new ferry route is set to open in September, connecting Nantes with the port of Gijon in Northern Spain.

Brittany Ferries sail direct several times weekly from Portsmouth and Plymouth for the port of Santander in Cantabria. Several holiday destinations can easily be reached by road from Santander including the Spanish cities of Bilbao and San Sebastien, or Biarritz in south west France.

To cut your carbon footprint further still, ditch the hire car and use the train when you arrive. A regular service connects Santander with destinations across the coast of Cantabria and neighbouring Asturias, while coach company Alsa connects Santander with cities all across Spain including Barcelona and Madrid.