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Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur fans face chaos ahead of the Europa League final in Bilbao due to planned strike action.
The Red Devils booked their place in the showpiece event at the San Mames with a 7-1 aggregate win over Athletic Club last week.
Spurs also made the final with a comprehensive 5-1 demolition of Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt.
Supporters of both clubs already face challenging circumstances as hotels are reportedly already booked out in the city. As a result, some fans have even had to rent accommodation in France.
What’s more, some supporters also face obscene prices to see the match, with some sites selling tickets for up to £23,000.
The Daily Star report that fans’ problems could continue to snowball with news of a strike.
The outlet states “Tottenham and Manchester United fans heading to the Europa League final could be in for a travel nightmare due to airport strike action, potentially leaving supporters significantly out of pocket.”
The industrial dispute is on course to disrupt fans leaving from Gatwick airport on Tuesday and Wednesday. This would be exactly when numerous fans would be setting off as the final is scheduled for Wednesday evening.
The reason behind the potential strike is that “refuelling staff from Redline Oil Services Limited are striking after negotiations over new working conditions broke down.”
Airline companies such as EasyJet are reportedly still charging up to £900 for flights into the Basque city on these dates.
Frustratingly, customers would not be eligible for compensation should their tickets be cancelled due to the event being regarded as an “exceptional circumstance.”
Unite members at Redline are planning to strike from today until Tuesday and then again from the 23rd to the 27th of May.
Featured image Clive Brunskill via Getty Images
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