When faced with a strike wave—flight cancellations, subway suspensions, bus shutdowns—what should travelers unfamiliar with the area do? Our reporter offers some tips.
Tip 1: Arrive at the Airport Early to Wait for Boarding
Passengers who book flights in advance usually receive notices from airlines before a strike occurs. If the ticket really cannot be changed, it’s recommended to arrive at the airport early to wait for boarding. Generally, international flights begin check-in more than two hours in advance, but in the event of a strike, you can try going to the airport before the strike begins to inquire—there might be last-minute seats available, allowing you to leave earlier and avoid the strike. If the strike has already started when you arrive at the airport, keep an eye on real-time updates. Once the strike ends, you can immediately check in at the airport and queue up early to take the first available flight back home.
Whenever a strike ends, the airport often gathers many passengers waiting to transfer, making it very crowded, and there may even be shortages of airport resources. It’s best to prepare in advance, such as bringing your own food to the airport or packing supplies like sleeping bags. If the strike lasts a long time or you have to wait a while to board, having these items can make your time at the airport more comfortable.
Tip 2: If Flight Changes Are Difficult, Consider Changing Hotels
If you know about the strike in advance and really can’t adjust your itinerary or change your flight, consider switching hotels to reduce the risks associated with transportation disruptions caused by the strike. Generally, unless it’s a very large-scale strike, transportation won’t completely shut down, but flights, trains, and buses may have reduced schedules or operating hours. However, even if transportation isn’t completely halted, it’s still inconvenient for travelers. So, if you’ve previously booked a hotel in the suburbs, it’s best to switch to one closer to the city center where you don’t need to rely too much on public transport—you can even walk back to the hotel if necessary. Even though city-center accommodations are generally more expensive than those in the suburbs, taking a taxi back and forth to the suburbs during a strike isn’t cheap either.
Tip 3: Strikes at Attractions Can Be Both Good and Bad
Often, strikes also occur at famous attractions. In such cases, the attraction may close its doors to visitors. Therefore, it’s essential to check the opening status of the attraction online in advance before heading there, to avoid a wasted trip and being turned away. You might also consider visiting some attractions not affected by the strike first and then going back to the others once the strike is over. But sometimes, a strike at an attraction isn’t necessarily a bad thing—many tourists may skip visiting certain spots knowing there will be a strike, which can actually make those places less crowded than usual. Even if you can only view them from the outside, you can still take your time snapping photos, turning a negative into a positive.
Tip 4: Adjust Your Itinerary Slightly Based on Strike Information
Don’t worry too much if you suddenly encounter a strike during your trip, because if the strike isn’t large-scale, it may not necessarily affect your itinerary.
It’s understood that strikes in Europe and America aren’t always long-term, nationwide, or cross-industry—they’re sometimes just short-term strikes in a few sectors. The most common are 24-hour strikes. Because the strikes are short and not widespread, they’re unlikely to significantly impact your trip. In such cases, you only need to make corresponding adjustments to your itinerary and mode of transportation—for example, if the subway is on strike, opt for another form of transport. If you learn that strikers are gathering in a particular area, it’s best to avoid going there, which can help you steer clear of the strike’s effects.
Tip 5: Seek Multiple Sources of Information to Stay Calm and Informed
As a traveler in a foreign country, it’s normal to feel at a loss when encountering a strike. But for locals, strikes may be a common occurrence, and they might even have their own ways of coping. Especially for tourism professionals, they’ll have their own strategies for dealing with strikes. Therefore, when faced with a strike wave, travelers can consult local guides, airport staff, or hotel employees, asking locals for solutions. As long as you’re well-informed, there’s no need to panic too much.
Tip 6: Stay Updated on Announcements to Avoid Strike Disruptions
Generally, strikes in Europe and America don’t happen out of the blue. For example, in Europe, strikes are carried out in an orderly manner—the unions organizing the strikes typically issue announcements several weeks in advance, informing the public which sectors and during what time periods the strikes will occur.
So, the best way to avoid being impacted by strikes is to stay informed about local strike news and announcements in advance. If you notice that a strike will take place during your travel period, and if you can postpone your trip, consider rescheduling to avoid the strike and minimize its effect on your journey. Additionally, strikes in Europe and America often follow certain patterns—for example, they’re more likely to occur toward the end of the year. If the local government introduces policies that affect workers’ interests, it could also trigger large-scale strikes. Based on strike occurrences in Europe and America, some patterns can be summarized: generally speaking, aside from the higher likelihood and scale of strikes in the second half of the year compared to the first, there are also specific periods when strikes are more likely to happen—such as late September to early October, and early November to mid-December. Especially from early November to mid-December, strikes tend to last longer, so extra caution is needed.
Tip 7: Gather Fellow Travelers Locally to Share Transportation Costs
While abroad, you might also encounter other travelers from around the world facing similar frustrations.
In that case, consider leaving a message at your hotel or hostel to gather companions for renting a car together to the next destination. Everyone can split the cost of the vehicle, reducing losses caused by the strike. You can also ask the hotel staff whether there are any local websites for sharing such information or ask them to help post online—you might find companions more quickly this way.