MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Iberia pilots begin week long strike

Spain's flag carrier Iberia was forced to cancel 240 daily flights, stranding 200.000 passengers, after the company's pilots decided on a seven day strike effective zero hour Monday.

The dispute centers on Iberia's plans to launch a low cost carrier "Catair" which the 1.900 pilots of the company believe endangers their jobs and stability.

Catair is scheduled to begin flying next October and talks between the company and pilots have been ongoing for weeks. Iberia insists it has offered job guarantees to pilots during negotiations.

The strike which will extend until next Sunday is estimated will force the cancelling of 1.600 flights, many of them transatlantic to New York, Miami and Mexico City.

However Iberia said that flights hit by the strike were mainly those serving destinations within Spain, with destinations such as Canary and Balearic islands and the Middle East operating almost normally.

Two of three daily flights to Argentina from Madrid and Barcelona have been cancelled reporter the local office in Buenos Aires.