Pilots for Spanish national carrier Iberia held the first of a planned series of one-day strikes on Monday (April 9 ), a second is planned for the Friday ( April 13 ) and the pilots are set to continue the action by striking every Monday and Friday until July. Around 800 passengers were affected by Monday's action, according to the Spanish media.

The pilot's protest is against Iberia's newly set up budget airline wing, Iberia Express. Sepla, the union representing Iberia's pilots, has issued demands for a EUR 36,000 basic pay package for pilots flying with the new airline, and has angrily denounced the millions paid to the company's board of directors. “The directors now take home million euro salaries, the like of which Iberia has never paid before,” said Justo Peral of Sepla.

The pilot's union and Iberia failed to reach an agreement during a meeting at end – March, with the pilot's accusing the company representatives of effectively boycotting the meeting with their stance. Following the failure of the talks, pilot's have carried out their threatened strike action. Each one-day strike is estimated to cost Iberia EUR 3 million. Previous strike action in December 2011, and January and February this year has already cost Iberia EUR 36 million, according to the news service from Spain's RTVE. Based on these figures, the series of strikes planned up until July will cost the company a further EUR 90 million.

Cancellations of 122 flights are expected for Friday, with 56 of those on domestic routes, another 56 medium haul flights and 10 intercontinental flights expected to be canceled, according to RTVE.

Liam Lever, liam@romania-insider.com