Barcelona’s El Prat airport has joined Madrid-Barajas, Málaga, Valencia, Tenerife South and seven other Spanish gateways on the list of locations hit by an escalating labour dispute between Ryanair’s ground-services contractor Azul Handling and the UGT union. Travel-trade outlet Travel & Tour World confirmed on 15 December 2025 that staggered walk-outs—running every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday in three time-bands (05:00-09:00, 12:00-15:00 and 21:00-00:00)—will continue through at least 31 December.
Although limited to baggage handling and ramp operations, the stoppages have already triggered average check-in delays of 45 minutes and prompted Ryanair to ask passengers to travel with carry-on only where possible. The strikes coincide with a record 6.1 million seats scheduled on international flights to Spain over the two-week Christmas peak, posing a major headache for corporate travel managers and relocation firms moving staff before year-end.
![Holiday-season strikes by Ryanair ground-handlers threaten baggage chaos at Spain’s main airports]()
Amid the uncertainty, travellers should also verify that their travel documentation is in order. VisaHQ can streamline the process of obtaining Spanish visas—whether for short business trips or longer corporate assignments—through a fully online application system that offers step-by-step guidance, real-time status updates and expedited processing options (https://www.visahq.com/spain/). By outsourcing visa formalities to VisaHQ, travel managers are free to focus on contingency planning and route adjustments during the strike period.
Contingency measures include:
• Aena has authorised airlines to use alternative ground-service providers where contracts allow, but capacity is thin.
• Priority-tag and fast-track services have been suspended for affected flights, eroding premium-seat value.
• Several multinationals are rerouting assignees via Lisbon or Toulouse and using high-speed rail connections into Spain to bypass the worst disruption.
Beyond December, sector observers warn that Spain’s handling sector could face a summer of unrest as unions across multiple providers seek wage increases matching the 5 % 2025 CPI. Employers with frequent fly-in fly-out staff should therefore review travel policies, build in longer connection windows and ensure travel-insurance cover for strike-related delays remains valid.
Although limited to baggage handling and ramp operations, the stoppages have already triggered average check-in delays of 45 minutes and prompted Ryanair to ask passengers to travel with carry-on only where possible. The strikes coincide with a record 6.1 million seats scheduled on international flights to Spain over the two-week Christmas peak, posing a major headache for corporate travel managers and relocation firms moving staff before year-end.
Amid the uncertainty, travellers should also verify that their travel documentation is in order. VisaHQ can streamline the process of obtaining Spanish visas—whether for short business trips or longer corporate assignments—through a fully online application system that offers step-by-step guidance, real-time status updates and expedited processing options (https://www.visahq.com/spain/). By outsourcing visa formalities to VisaHQ, travel managers are free to focus on contingency planning and route adjustments during the strike period.
Contingency measures include:
• Aena has authorised airlines to use alternative ground-service providers where contracts allow, but capacity is thin.
• Priority-tag and fast-track services have been suspended for affected flights, eroding premium-seat value.
• Several multinationals are rerouting assignees via Lisbon or Toulouse and using high-speed rail connections into Spain to bypass the worst disruption.
Beyond December, sector observers warn that Spain’s handling sector could face a summer of unrest as unions across multiple providers seek wage increases matching the 5 % 2025 CPI. Employers with frequent fly-in fly-out staff should therefore review travel policies, build in longer connection windows and ensure travel-insurance cover for strike-related delays remains valid.
