Eight days of strikes called by airline staff in Spain over Christmas and these are the dates affected

Trade unions have called eight days of strike action at airline Iberia over Christmas that could affect check in and handling at airlines manned by Iberia staff at Spanish airports, including Vueling and Aer Lingus.

The UGT and CCOO unions are in a dispute with Iberia over the future handling of flights of the group’s airlines.

Union sources said on Wednesday that the stoppages would take place on 29, 30 and 31 December and 1, 4, 5, 6 and 7 January, coinciding with the critical dates for travel over the festive period.

The action comes in the face of the company's refusal to create an auto handling system, a strike call that the airline considers "irresponsible".

Iberia issued a statement in which it expressed "its enormous disappointment" at this "irresponsible strike call", as it claims to have been in constant contact with the unions to "meet the main concerns of its workers".

Iberia considers that a strike called at this time of year "irreparably damages people's rights to a holiday and the gathering of families and friends" in an "irresponsible and senseless" manner.