Flights to and from Spain are subject to severe disruption as a result of a general strike today (Thursday).
Up to four out of five flights are expected to be cancelled, with most airlines cancelling a majority of flights in advance of this morning.
Iberia cancelled almost 300 flights in advance including services to and from Heathrow. Its new low-cost subsidiary Iberia Express, which launched on Sunday, was virtually grounded.
Barcelona-based Vueling, which is part-owned by Iberia, also grounded two-thirds of its flights.
British Airways cancelled flights to Spain, offering affected passengers the choice of re-booking or a refund. The carrier advised passengers to check the status of their flight at ba.com before departing for the airport.
EasyJet warned of “significant disruption” and cancelled flights, including Gatwick-Madrid, Gatwick-Barcelona and Stansted-Malaga services.
The strike, called by Spain’s biggest unions, comes ahead of a government budget on Friday which is expected to unveil a major programme of cuts.