Spanish airline Iberia has cancelled more than a third of its flights today due to a strike by pilots

Spanish airline Iberia has cancelled more than a third of its flights today due to a strike by pilots - affecting more than 10,000 passengers.

The strike has resulted in the airline being forced to cancel eight of its scheduled 16 flights between London Heathrow and Madrid.

Its pilots are striking because they fear job losses when company planes are diverted to Iberia’s planned new budget carrier.

Problems: Spanish airline Iberia has cancelled more than a third of its flights today due to a strike by pilots

HOW TODAY'S FLIGHTS HAVE BEEN AFFECTED

IB3163 London to Madrid (9.10am departure)

IB3166 Madrid to London 
(4pm departure)

IB3167 London to Madrid (6.40pm departure)

IB3170 Madrid to London (7am departure)

IB3171 London to Madrid (5.10pm departure)

IB3172 Madrid to London (3pm departure)

IB3176 Madrid to London (1.35pm departure) 

IB3177 London to Madrid (4pm departure)

Iberia said it scrapped 118 domestic and international flights but found seats on other Iberia flights or with other carriers for all the 10,000 travelers affected by the one-day strike.

The airline is not able to say how many passengers have been affected who are travelling between Madrid and London Heathrow.

Flights on planes belonging to Iberia Airlines franchise carrier Iberia Regional Air Nostrum - which flies from Glasgow and Manchester - are not affected by the strike.

Today's action is the second holiday-season walkout by pilots. 

The first was on December 18.Iberia plans to divert jetliners from money-losing domestic and medium-haul European routes for Iberia Express, which it hopes to launch early next year using lower-earning, newly hired pilots and flight attendants.

Big changes: The strike has resulted in Iberia being forced to cancel eight of its scheduled 16 flights between London Heathrow and Madrid

The company says its plans are for this carrier to have 40 planes in 2015.

Pilots union SEPLA threatened yesterday to stage more strikes over the creation of Iberia Express, fearing job losses among existing staff with the creation of the unit, designed to compete with budget airlines.

Iberia, Spain’s flagship carrier, insists that no job cuts are planned among its current 1,600 pilots.