Spain activates EU Entry/Exit System, ending passport stamps for non-EU travellers
Spanish airports call for emergency flexibility after first-day EES queues hit three hours
Spain tops 2026 Digital Nomad Visa Index, beating Malta and Portugal
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Groundforce suspends Friday strike, easing immediate baggage disruption at Alicante and 11 other Spanish airports
Groundforce has paused its Friday strike at 12 Spanish airports, including Alicante, to negotiate a wage deal. The move temporarily removes the risk of baggage and ramp delays, but the indefinite strike mandate still stands, so companies should keep backup travel plans for next week.
High-speed rail patronage drops 32 % after Adamuz crash, pressuring Spain’s corporate travel budgets
INE figures released 10 April reveal a one-third collapse in Spain’s high-speed rail ridership after January’s Adamuz derailment, pushing corporates toward costlier, less sustainable air alternatives. Operators are rolling out refunds and service enhancements, but mobility managers should budget for mode-shift volatility through at least Q3.
Direct Málaga–Madrid AVE to resume on 27 April after track upgrades
Spain’s infrastructure manager Adif has confirmed that the high-speed AVE between Málaga and Madrid will resume on 27 April after track works, restoring a sub-three-hour rail bridge crucial for business and remote-work commuters. Corporates should secure seats early, as pent-up demand is expected to spike first-week occupancy.
Spain switches on EU Entry/Exit System, ending passport stamps for all non-EU travellers
From 10 April 2026 Spain no longer stamps passports: all non-EU arrivals and departures are now recorded electronically under the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES). Travellers give fingerprints and a facial image the first time they enter; subsequent crossings are automated. The upgrade gives companies accurate day-counts, but HR and travel managers are being told to expect teething-queue delays during the first weeks.
Balearic government threatens fresh court action over renewed quota of unaccompanied migrant minors
Baleares warned on 10 April that it will sue Madrid if a new decree raises the region’s quota of unaccompanied migrant minors from 406 to 434 places. The standoff could delay social-care processes that feed into family immigration cases and highlights continuing tension between Spain’s regions and the central government over migration burdens.
Madrid blasts unilateral hike in MENA quotas as central–regional migration row deepens
A leaked draft decree shows Spain intends to raise regional quotas for unaccompanied migrant minors to 17,000 places, sparking backlash from several autonomous communities. The dispute could strain regional immigration infrastructures relied on by employers relocating staff.
EES stress-test: Madrid-Barajas handles 900,000 non-Schengen passengers over Easter without major glitches
Police data released 10 April show Madrid-Barajas processed 900,000 non-Schengen passengers and 3,700 flights during Easter week with the new EES in place—an early sign that Spain’s biometric border overhaul can cope with peak loads.