Potential KLM Ground Handling Employee 24-Hour Strike From 2 AM On Saturday (June 28, 2025)

KLM ground handling employees, who are members of two unions, are set to go on strike for 24 hours starting at 2:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 28, 2025.

KLM has refused to offer any raises and instead wants 5% efficiency savings while giving management a 32% bonus increase.

You can access KLM here.

If the strike proceeds, you can expect flight cancellations, significant delays, and issues with ground handling, as employees striking handle luggage, aircraft towing, and passenger-facing customer service.

KLM is furious and has filed an emergency court injunction to block the strike.

The employees are willing to accept wage increases that only match inflation, while the raises for pilots and management team members have been significantly higher.

It is unclear when KLM will start canceling flights scheduled for Saturday or whether the court will agree to temporarily halt the walkout.

Air Passenger Rights EC 261/2004

Passengers affected by this work action, if it goes forward, are covered by EC 261/2004, as KLM is a Community Carrier.

Affected passengers are eligible for Duty to Care, which means accommodation and meals in case of long delays.

KLM is also required to rebook affected passengers to their final destination at the earliest possibility even if this means rebooking them on other airlines, such as Emirates, Etihad, and British Airways.

Passengers are also eligible for a refund if they choose to cancel even non-refundable tickets if the flight is canceled or significantly delayed.

A strike by employees is not considered extraordinary, so affected passengers are also eligible for cash compensation if their arrival at the destination is delayed.

Conclusion

It must be summertime in Europe, because then you usually see all these strikes taking place.

It is not a prudent business decision to give management team members significant bonuses while simultaneously claiming that the airline’s financial situation is so dire that they cannot even raise wages to meet inflation.

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