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Chaos could erupt at Spain's major airports this Easter, with unions calling strikes. Travellers can expect long flight delays and significantly slower service. Ground handling workers at Spanish airports are preparing to strike during the peak passenger traffic during Holy Week (Semana Santa) .
Trade unions have confirmed planned service disruptions at several major airports . The action affects employees responsible for baggage handling, aircraft parking, boarding, and other essential ground services.
The dispute comes at a critical time for travellers, as millions of domestic and international passengers transit through Spanish airports over the Easter holiday period. While flights are expected to operate, significant delays and disruptions are likely.
The industrial action was called by Spanish trade unions following disagreements over wages, working conditions and the implementation of sectoral collective agreements in airport services.
According to union advertisements:
Groundforce employees will go on indefinite strike from March 27 (Groundforce is responsible for servicing many aircraft on the ground - between landing and take-off)
Menzies service staff will be on strike from 28-29 March and 2-6 April (Menzies staff are responsible for check-in and boarding, baggage handling, fuelling, cleaning and transport)
The strike affects airports where employees provide ground services under contracts with Aena, the state-owned airport operator.
The government is expected to enforce minimum service levels required by law for essential transport sectors, but these measures will not fully eliminate delays.
The disruption is expected to be felt most acutely at Spain's busiest tourist and transport hubs. Among the airports expected to be hardest hit are:
Madrid -Barajas Airport
Malaga Airport - Costa del Sol
Alicante -Elche Airport
Palma de Mallorca Airport
Barcelona -El Prat Airport
Seville Airport
Groundfource and Menzies also serve the following airports: Bilbao, Zaragoza, Alicante, Ibiza, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Murcia, Santiago de Compostela, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Tenerife North, Tenerife - the consequences of strikes must also be taken into account there.
Passengers at these airports should expect longer check-in and security lines, delays in baggage handling, and a slower boarding process. Even if flights depart as scheduled, limited ground crew availability can extend wait times, causing delays to subsequent flights.
The extent of disruption may vary depending on airport staffing and airline operations, but it is expected that the greatest disruption will occur on peak travel days, typically the days leading up to and following Easter Sunday.
We understand that these strikes could impact your Easter break if you are travelling to or from an affected Spanish airport. This could mean that you face delays, disruptions or even cancellations on your Easter holiday.
Here are some practical tips for UK travellers heading to Spain this Easter.
Regularly checking the status of your flight using the airline or airport app
Check for updates from your booking provider if you booked a package holiday
Arriving at the airport much earlier than usual, especially for international flights
Planning additional time for connecting flights
Whenever possible, travel with hand luggage only to avoid delays in baggage delivery
Monitoring airline and airport updates, especially on days of planned protest action
Travellers departing from airports such as Malaga, Madrid or Palma de Mallorca should exercise particular caution, as these places usually have the highest number of passengers during the Easter period.
Will flights be cancelled?
Most flights are expected to operate, although delays may result from slower ground operations and extended turnaround times.
Will my package holiday be cancelled?
Most package holidays will still go ahead if the flight is still running. However, it is worth keeping checking updates from your booking provider incase they make any changes to you booking or flight times.
Does this apply to all airports in Spain?
No, but major airports where ground handling personnel operate will be affected by strikes. Some indirect disruptions may affect other locations due to knock-on effects on flight schedules.
What should I do if my flight is delayed?
If you’re flying from the UK to Spain during Easter and your flight is delayed, check directly with your airline (and the airport) for real-time updates before travelling.
Under UK/EU Flight Compensation Regulation (EC 261/2004), you may be entitled to assistance such as meals, refreshments, and accommodation if the delay is significant. You could also be eligible for compensation depending on the length of the delay and the cause, although disruption due to strikes (especially by airport or air traffic control staff) is often considered “extraordinary circumstances,” which may limit compensation.
If your flight is heavily delayed or cancelled, you also have the right to a refund or an alternative flight.
Unions are justifying the planned Easter strike by citing the companies' failure to honour agreements on working conditions. According to a statement, these issues include pay, shift patterns, overtime, and part-time contracts. Groundforce and Menzies won the contract to provide ground handling services at state-owned operator Aena's airports in 2023. Unions are also criticising Aena's tender process.
The strike highlights ongoing tensions in Spain's airport services sector following recent contract changes. Unions say the changes have led to unequal pay, increased workloads, and disputes over the application of collective agreements.
Traditionally, maintenance services have been more stable under long-term contracts with suppliers. Unions say recent operational changes have not been accompanied by improved working conditions, leading to the current strikes.
Unlike pilot or cabin crew strikes, which often result in flight cancellations, ground crew strikes cause operational disruptions rather than grounding flights. This means that flight delays are more likely than outright cancellations, although the impact on passengers can still be significant.
Source: Euro Weekly News