Romanian state-owned airline Tarom's cancellations leave passengers stranded

Multiple Romanian Tarom Airlines flights were cancelled on Monday after pilots reported being sick en masse, causing frustration and anxiety among the passengers at the Henri Coandă International Airport in Bucharest.

The airline union has not announced a labour dispute, but many internal voices indicated that a strike announcement is possible.

The alleged protest also caused the cancellation of the flight that was supposed to take the foreign affairs and defence ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence to the NATO summit in Washington.

"We are from Spain. We have been waiting since 5 am to take off. Nobody informed us of anything," says one of the passengers.

Another wants reimbursement: "I will write an e-mail to Tarom to ask for my money back. I`ve never experienced something like this."

• Europe's travel strikes: Flight and train disruption you can expect in July

• Aer Lingus set to meet with pilots as union prepares for weekend strike

Romanian Minister of Transport Sorin Grindeanu issued an ultimatum to the state-owned company’s management.

The United Tarom Union has not yet made a list of demands, but union members have been requesting salary increases over the past year.