Travellers planning winter trips through Spain should brace for rolling labour action that will last until 31 December 2025. A fresh union notice highlights that baggage-handling firm Azul Handling, which services Ryanair and several charter operators, will stage walkouts at 20-plus airports—including Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Málaga, Alicante, Palma de Mallorca, Girona, Tenerife South, Lanzarote and Santiago de Compostela—every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The strike windows mirror the pattern used in October’s industrial action: 05:00-09:00, 12:00-15:00 and 21:00-23:59 local time. Spain’s transport ministry has imposed minimum-service obligations that keep most flights operating, but passengers should anticipate longer bag-drop queues and carousel delays, especially on short-haul routes where protection levels are lower.
![Ground-Handling Strike to Disrupt Spanish Airports Every Weekend Until Year-End]()
Unions say they are protesting unresolved overtime and bonus issues as well as a lack of stable job creation for part-time staff. Azul counters that the UGT-affiliated workforce represents fewer than 20 % of handlers and that mandatory service levels mean disruption will be “limited”. Ryanair has told customers it expects to maintain schedules but cannot rule out knock-on effects.
For corporates the advice is to build extra slack into itineraries, book hand-luggage fares where possible, and warn assignees with tight onward connections. Mobility teams should also verify that relocation shipments routed as accompanied baggage arrive on time; delays could trigger temporary-housing extensions and extra costs. Travel managers may wish to pre-authorise ride-share or hotel vouchers if late-night arrivals coincide with the 21:00-midnight stoppage.
The strike underscores Spain’s wider airport-labour friction. Both Aena’s own staff and ground-service contractors face wage negotiations in Q1 2026, raising the prospect of further stoppages if talks stall.
The strike windows mirror the pattern used in October’s industrial action: 05:00-09:00, 12:00-15:00 and 21:00-23:59 local time. Spain’s transport ministry has imposed minimum-service obligations that keep most flights operating, but passengers should anticipate longer bag-drop queues and carousel delays, especially on short-haul routes where protection levels are lower.
Unions say they are protesting unresolved overtime and bonus issues as well as a lack of stable job creation for part-time staff. Azul counters that the UGT-affiliated workforce represents fewer than 20 % of handlers and that mandatory service levels mean disruption will be “limited”. Ryanair has told customers it expects to maintain schedules but cannot rule out knock-on effects.
For corporates the advice is to build extra slack into itineraries, book hand-luggage fares where possible, and warn assignees with tight onward connections. Mobility teams should also verify that relocation shipments routed as accompanied baggage arrive on time; delays could trigger temporary-housing extensions and extra costs. Travel managers may wish to pre-authorise ride-share or hotel vouchers if late-night arrivals coincide with the 21:00-midnight stoppage.
The strike underscores Spain’s wider airport-labour friction. Both Aena’s own staff and ground-service contractors face wage negotiations in Q1 2026, raising the prospect of further stoppages if talks stall.
