Spanish airlines, Iberia and Vueling, canceled nearly 50 flights on Friday amid a general strike in Spain's semi-autonomous Catalonia region, which was called in response to the Supreme Court's controversial ruling to sentence several independence leaders to hefty prison terms, media reported
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th October, 2019) Spanish airlines, Iberia and Vueling, canceled nearly 50 flights on Friday amid a general strike in Spain's semi-autonomous Catalonia region, which was called in response to the Supreme Court's controversial ruling to sentence several independence leaders to hefty prison terms, media reported.
Earlier on Friday, a general strike began in Catalonia, which was called on by the region's pro-independence trade unions in response to the ruling. Social services, including transportation, education and health services have been affected throughout Catalonia, but continue to operate at a decreased capacity, adhering to the government's established quota for the provision of minimal services during strikes.
According to the Spanish 20minutos news outlet, a total of 55 flights have been canceled in Barcelona's El Prat airport. The majority of those are Vueling flights � 36. Iberia has canceled 12 flights.
In total, EL Prat has 979 flights scheduled for Friday, the news outlet said, 789 of which are covered by the "minimal services" requirement for general strikes.
On Monday, Spain's Supreme Court sentenced nine Catalan independence leaders to prison terms ranging from nine to 13 years over their involvement in an unauthorized independence referendum in 2017. Since then, Spain and particularly the semi-autonomous region has been engulfed in violent mass protests, with both police and protesters receiving injuries in clashes.
