Fuel strike problems

The first wave of industrial action of the year yesterday caused flight delays and should it drag on, as the unions plan, could cause some petrol stations to run dry. The CLH fuel distribution company, which enjoys the monopoly in the Balearics, yesterday launched its first day of ten days of strike action, spread out until January 19. Some domestic flights suffered delays of up to an hour, including one bound from Madrid to Ibiza yesterday morning. Most of Spain's domestic airlines suffered delays of 15 minutes or more and some airlines were filling their planes up with extra fuel, but at a great cost. The country's main petrol companies have said that they have taken evasive action in order to minimalise the effects of the strike. Repsol YPF, Cepsa and BP, the country's main petrol companies reported no problems yesterday confirming that petrol stations were operating as usual. But the airlines and the smaller petrol pump agencies have already been hit and should the strike run its course, petrol resources are expected to start falling on some of the country's forecourts. With CLH have the monopoly in the Balearics, a situation the Balearic government has been intending to end since the fuel crisis two years ago, the consequences could be severe. The Balearic government wanted to set up a local co-operative which could take care of fuel distribution, removing the problems caused by industrial action and eventually leading to cheaper fuel.