Iberia is taking legal action in an effort to prevent 30 days of strike action by pilots protesting at the creation of low cost arm Iberia Express.
The carrier is suing pilot and cabin crew unions in Spain’s high court, asking for planned strikes to be declared illegal and seeking damages for previous industrial action.
Spanish pilots’ union Sepla last week announced 30 days of industrial action starting on Easter Monday and lasting until July.
The strikes by pilots began in December and cost Iberia an estimated €3 million a day.
“Iberia has presented a lawsuit against the Sepla pilots union claiming the current … strikes called by the union against the airline … are illegal, and demanding damages,” the airline said.
A similar lawsuit had been brought against cabin crew union Stavla, partly because of strikes in February, the Financial Times reported.
Iberia Express was launched last week by Iberia and British Airways parent company International Airlines Group in an effort to stem losses at the Spanish airline.