Ground crew strike mess hits Spanish airports

Holidaymakers planning to fly in or out of Spain this August should brace for probable disruptions due to strikes by ground handling staff at major airports, including Barcelona-El Prat, Palma de Mallorca, Málaga-Costa del Sol, Alicante-Elche, and Tenerife Sur. 

The industrial action, which was called by union UGT, is targeting two key handling companies: Azul Handling (serving Ryanair) and Menzies Aviation (serving airlines such as Emirates, British Airways, easyJet, American Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Norwegian, and Wizz Air). The strike action coincides, as is habitual, with the peak summer travel season, threatening delays, longer queues, and possible flight cancellations at up to 27 Spanish airports for holidaymakers who have spent their savings on taking their families away from it all for a few days in summer.

Airport strike dates and affected airlines

Azul Handling (Ryanair): Strikes begin on August 15, 2025, and will continue indefinitely every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday until December 31, 2025. Stoppages will occur in three daily time bands: 5am–9am, 12pm–3pm, and 9pm–11.50pm. Only Ryanair flights will be directly affected by this union action, with Barcelona-El Prat facing the most notable risk due to Ryanair’s 15 per cent share of operations there.

Menzies Aviation: Strikes are planned for the last three weekends of August, from the 16th to 17th, 23rd to 24th, and 30th to 31st. The walkouts will impact multiple airlines, including Emirates, British Airways, and easyJet, at key airports like Barcelona, Malaga, Alicante, Palma de Mallorca, and Tenerife Sur.

The coincidence of the strikes, particularly on peak August dates, will no doubt exacerbate disruptions, with Barcelona-El Prat potentially seeing up to a third of its operations decimated during the peak of summer traffic. July 2025 saw a record 5.54 million passengers pass through El Prat alone, emphasising the high demand and potential for chaos.

Minimum services and expected impact of Spanish airport strikes

The Spanish Ministry of Transport has set minimum service levels to mitigate disruptions:

Ryanair (Azul Handling): 75–85 per cent of international flights and those to/from the Canary and Balearic Islands will operate. Domestic flights with ground transport alternatives taking over five hours will maintain about 60 per cent of service, while those with alternatives under five hours will have around 35 per cent service. Whether strikers will stick to the minimum is yet to be seen.

According to the Organisation of Consumers and Users (OCU), passengers affected by cancellations are entitled to a full ticket refund within seven days and may claim compensation of up to €600 per person. However, airlines may cite “extraordinary circumstances” due to third-party strikes to avoid additional payouts. Passengers facing delays can claim compensation after five hours and may also recover costs for food, lodging, or extra transport incurred due to disruptions. If an alternative flight is accepted, passengers may waive their right to refunds or further compensation.

What is the Spanish airports strike action all about?

Labour disputes. The UGT union is accusing the employers of imposing excessive overtime and docking pay when they refuse. In the case of Menzies workers, they are claiming unpaid salaries, up to 4 months in some cases.

For those affected, check out this post on how to apply for compensation.