An unpleasant surprise on Easter: Trade unions in Spain have announced large-scale strikes by airport staff
23 March 00:21
Spanish labor unions have announced large-scale strikes by staff at several of the country’s major airports in the coming weeks.
The strikes coincide with the peak travel period during the Easter holidays, when millions of passengers pass through Spanish airports, according to Euronews Travel, as reported by [Komersant].
What passengers need to know
Airport ground staff are planning a strike during the busy Easter week (Semana Santa).
The strikes were announced by Spanish trade unions, including UGT, CCOO, and USO, due to disagreements over wages, working conditions, and the desire to conclude sector-wide labor agreements.
Employees of Groundforce, which holds contracts at 12 Spanish airports, will begin an indefinite strike on Friday, March 27, 2026.
The strikes will take place every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during three time slots: from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m., from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and from 10 p.m. to midnight.
Other ground handling staff have planned 24-hour strikes on March 28–29 and April 2–6.
If no agreement is reached, the strikes could continue until December 31, 2026, including on weekends.
The strike will affect some of Spain’s busiest airports, including Madrid-Barajas, Málaga-Costa del Sol, Alicante-Elche, Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona-El Prat, Gran Canaria, Tenerife South and North, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Valencia, Ibiza, and Bilbao.
As a result, travelers should be prepared for lines and delays.
However, in accordance with government regulations, a minimum level of service is guaranteed at airports. This means that flights will operate, but travelers should be prepared for delays and schedule changes.
Limited ground staff means that flight handling times may increase, causing a chain reaction of delays for subsequent flights.
At affected airports, passengers should also expect longer lines for check-in and baggage drop-off, delays in baggage handling, and slower boarding and deplaning processes.
