Britons hit by chaos at Spanish airport as security staff strike

BRITISH holidaymakers faced long queues at Barcelona airport yesterday as Spain’s government said it will call in the Civil Guard to keep passengers safe.

Delays of up to 75 minutes caused long lines at departures when security staff carried out hour-long strikes.

Workers from the private security company Eulen, who carry out scans and searches at the city’s El Prat airport, have announced an indefinite strike starting on Monday, if their pay demands are not met.

Minister Inigo de la Serna said extra offic- ers from the Civil Guard, a paramilitary police force, will be at the airport on Monday ‘to guarantee the security of Spanish travellers and (foreign) tourists’. He said the country was on ‘terror alert’ and added: ‘Security cannot be put at risk as a result of the behaviour of some people.’

Eulen staff are demanding a 30 per cent salary increase, which has been rejected by company bosses. The workers say they are overworked and underpaid.