Spain’s holiday travel season got off to a rocky start on 11 December as ground-handling strikes, winter storms in northern Europe and lingering staffing gaps triggered widespread delays and cancellations. Euro Weekly News reports that Ryanair’s ground staff walked out at multiple airports, part of a rolling strike every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday through 31 December.
While the industrial action does not halt flights outright, passengers have faced long queues for bag-drop, delayed baggage delivery and missed connections—issues that snowball during peak periods. At the same time, snow and high winds in Germany, the UK and Scandinavia have created knock-on disruptions across the European network, forcing airlines to retime arrivals into Madrid, Barcelona and Málaga.
![‘Christmas Flight Crisis’: Strikes and Weather Cause Wave of Delays at Spanish Airports]()
In the midst of these operational snags, travellers should also make sure their paperwork keeps pace with shifting itineraries. VisaHQ’s Spain desk (https://www.visahq.com/spain/) can fast-track visa or passport renewals, arrange courier pickups and provide real-time status alerts—relieving a layer of stress for both holidaymakers and corporate mobility teams when schedules suddenly change.
Airlines have scrambled to secure extra handling staff, but union leaders say talks have stalled over pay and roster conditions. Industry analysts warn that a single weekend of disruption can cost carriers millions in compensation claims under EU261 rules and erode customer loyalty at a crucial time of year.
Global mobility teams should advise travellers to build in buffer time, travel with carry-on luggage where possible and monitor airline apps for re-booking options. Companies with time-sensitive projects may wish to move critical meetings online until the strike calendar clears in January 2026.
While the industrial action does not halt flights outright, passengers have faced long queues for bag-drop, delayed baggage delivery and missed connections—issues that snowball during peak periods. At the same time, snow and high winds in Germany, the UK and Scandinavia have created knock-on disruptions across the European network, forcing airlines to retime arrivals into Madrid, Barcelona and Málaga.
In the midst of these operational snags, travellers should also make sure their paperwork keeps pace with shifting itineraries. VisaHQ’s Spain desk (https://www.visahq.com/spain/) can fast-track visa or passport renewals, arrange courier pickups and provide real-time status alerts—relieving a layer of stress for both holidaymakers and corporate mobility teams when schedules suddenly change.
Airlines have scrambled to secure extra handling staff, but union leaders say talks have stalled over pay and roster conditions. Industry analysts warn that a single weekend of disruption can cost carriers millions in compensation claims under EU261 rules and erode customer loyalty at a crucial time of year.
Global mobility teams should advise travellers to build in buffer time, travel with carry-on luggage where possible and monitor airline apps for re-booking options. Companies with time-sensitive projects may wish to move critical meetings online until the strike calendar clears in January 2026.
