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Entertainment: Travel

Spain's Iberia cancels flights as strikes resume

March 4, 2013 | Modified: March 4, 2013 at 5:16 am
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MADRID (AP) — Spanish airline Iberia says some 1,300 flights will be canceled this week as workers begin a second round of strikes to protest the loss-making company's plans to lay off almost a fifth of its workforce.

The government has ordered a minimum amount of services should remain, meaning 85 percent of long-haul flights, 62 percent of medium-haul and 47 percent of domestic flights are guaranteed.

Unions representing most Iberia workers, but not pilots, called strikes between Feb. 18-22, March 4-8 and March 18-22.

A demonstration will be held at Madrid's Barajas airport later Monday.

International Airlines Group, which owns British Airways and Iberia, lost €923 million ($1.2 billion) last year on restructuring costs and writedowns on the value of Iberia.

Iberia last month said it planned to cut 3,807 jobs.