Barcelona Airport disruption continues as 3,000 bags stranded and 170 flights cancelled

Suitcases are piling up by the thousand and queues to reclaim them now stretch past five hours, and Barcelona Airport’s Groundforce strike is only getting worse as it enters its second week. More than 150 flights have already been cancelled, and the company still refuses to sit down and negotiate.

Cancellations climb past 150 as the second week begins 

The indefinite strike by Groundforce ground staff at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport began on Tuesday August 4 and has now run for more than a week without a resolution in sight. Between 150 and 170 flights have been cancelled since it started, according to figures shared with Spanish media by a workers’ representative.

El caos de hoy en el check in de @wizzair en el #aeropuerto de #Barcelona–#ElPrat es importante…

Por eso las colas únicas son terribles si están mal gestionadas…personas con vuelo en 3 horas se mezclan con otros última hora… pic.twitter.com/nNbZFprCnR

— GuiaLowCost (@GuiaLowCost) August 12, 2026

On Thursday August 13 alone, 18 further flights were called off, with airlines in the Lufthansa group among the worst hit. A separate electrical fault in El Prat’s control tower on Wednesday also added to an already strained day of operations. 

Why bags are taking more than five hours to reclaim

Around 3,000 suitcases remain stranded at the airport, and passengers trying to collect delayed or misrouted luggage are facing waits of more than five hours at the reclaim desks. The backlog has built up because Groundforce provides much of El Prat’s baggage handling, alongside check-in, boarding and flight coordination for about 20 airlines.

The disruption has coincided with one of El Prat’s busiest months on record. The airport handled 5.87 million passengers in July, six per cent more than the same month last year, and 35,886 flight operations, according to Aena, Spain’s airports operator.

‘We’re not asking for money’ – the dispute behind the walkout

The 1,175-strong Groundforce workforce is protesting understaffing, excessive rotations and what the General Confederation of Labour (CGT) union describes as a serious deterioration in health and safety conditions. Juan Navarro, a CGT representative at Groundforce, said sick leave linked to stress has doubled since a change of local management around two years ago. ‘The company’s management still won’t sit down to negotiate. The last time was July 24 and we don’t understand the situation. We’re not asking for money, this is about our safety and health,’ Navarro said. Groundforce is owned by the Globalia travel group.

Lufthansa reportedly sent a senior executive to Barcelona this week in an attempt to break the deadlock, according to union sources, though no agreement has followed.

The airlines still exposed to the strike

Groundforce handles ground operations in Barcelona for close to 20 carriers, including Air Europa, Air France, KLM, Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways and the Lufthansa group. Passengers flying with British Airways, Iberia, Level, Vueling, easyJet or Ryanair are not affected, as these airlines use different ground handlers at El Prat.

What to do if you’re flying from El Prat this week

Anyone travelling through Barcelona Airport in the coming days is advised to check their flight status directly with the airline before setting off, particularly at peak times. High occupancy across August flights means airlines have limited spare seats to offer if a service is cancelled. 

Passengers are advised to keep medication, documents and valuables in hand luggage, and to complete a Property Irregularity Report at the airport if a checked bag fails to arrive. Under EU rules, a cancelled flight still entitles passengers to a refund, rerouting or alternative transport, though cash compensation depends on whether the airline can show it took reasonable steps to avoid the disruption. No end date has been set for the strike, and no further talks have been scheduled.