Irish holidaymakers heading to Spain could face ongoing disruption as ‘indefinite’ airport strikes cause delays, baggage issues and potential flight problems across major tourist destinations.
Busy baggage claim in Barcelona-El Prat Josep Tarradellas Airport BCN (file photo)(Image: Getty Images)
Irish holidaymakers heading to Spain in the coming weeks could face major disruption as strike action begins at a number of the country’s busiest airports.
Ground handling staff at key tourist hubs have launched industrial action, with unions confirming indefinite walkouts in a dispute over pay.
Workers employed by Groundforce are staging stoppages on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with strikes taking place between 5am and 7am, 11am and 5pm and 10pm to midnight. The action is expected to continue for the foreseeable future.
The dispute centres on pay, with unions saying ground staff have not received a salary increase since 2022 despite rising inflation.
There are also fears the disruption could intensify, with unions warning they have not ruled out extending strike action to weekends later in the year.
However, there has been some relief in the Canary Islands where ground handling firm Menzies Aviation has called off planned strike action after reaching an agreement with the UGT union following mediation, according to the Majorca Daily Bulletin.
Spain’s airport operator Aena confirmed the ongoing disruption in a statement, warning passengers to check their travel plans in advance.
It said: “Indefinite strike called by Groundforce staff, a company providing services to various airlines, starting on Monday March 30. Partial work stoppages have been called on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during three time slots: 5-7am, 11am-5pm, and 10pm-midnight.
“If you’re planning to fly, check to see if your airport is affected. Contact your airline to find out the status of your flight.”
Full list of impacted airports
The strike action is affecting a number of Spain’s busiest airports, including many popular with Irish tourists:
- Madrid-Barajas
- Barcelona El Prat
- Málaga Costa del Sol
- Palma de Mallorca
- Alicante Elche
- Valencia
- Bilbao
- Ibiza
- Las Palmas Gran Canaria
- Tenerife Norte
- Tenerife Sur
- Lanzarote
- Fuerteventura
Early signs of disruption have already emerged, with reports of flights departing without luggage, congestion in baggage handling areas and delays to normal airport operations.
Union CCOO said more than 40 flights left without passengers’ bags during the initial stages of the strike, with some suitcases reportedly being processed without full scanning procedures in an effort to keep flights moving.
The UGT union has also reported widespread disruption, including delays of around an hour per flight, aircraft left waiting on the apron and essential airport services becoming overwhelmed.
Other reported issues include thousands of suitcases delayed or left behind, last minute operational changes by airlines and increased pressure on staff, Canarian Weekly reported.
UGT said the first days of the strike have shown the situation is “serious” both operationally and in terms of labour relations, accusing Groundforce of acting in a “disproportionate” manner.
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