Ryanair passengers flying to and from Spain could face months of disruption as ground handling staff announce 76 days of strike action running to the end of the year
Holidaymakers flying with Ryanair could face serious delays and cancellations in the coming months (Stock)
Ryanair passengers travelling to and from Spain could face months of disruption as staff have announced 76 days of strike action, set to continue until the end of the year.
The strikes action initiated by workers at Azul Handling – who provide ground services for Ryanair at Spanish airports – starts on August 15 and will run until December 31, 2025. After an initial three-day stoppage from August 15-17 staff will strike every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The staff will strike during the busiest airport hours of 5:00–9:00, 12:00–15:00, and 21:00–23:59.
This industrial action will directly affects Ryanair’s 12 Spanish bases including Alicante, Barcelona, Girona, Ibiza, Lanzarote, Madrid, Málaga, Palma de Mallorca, Santiago de Compostela, Sevilla, Tenerife South and Valencia. Despite not being officially part of the strike airports without a fixed Ryanair base, such as Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Menorca, Santander and others may also experience delays and cancellations due to disruptions.
76 days of strike action has been announced by workers at Azul Handling
The unions UGT and CGT have stated the action is a result of months of frustration over working conditions. Their demands include stable contracts and guaranteed hours for part-time staff, an end to pressure and punishment for refusing extra hours, better treatment regarding medical leave, and improved work-life balance.
José Manuel Pérez Grande, from UGT’s aviation sector, accused Azul Handling of pursuing “a strategy of precariousness and pressure that undermines basic labour rights”.
CGT has struck back and said the situation had become “unsustainable” and workers had been left with no choice but to strike.
Ryanair has downplayed the disruption, stating: “We do not expect any interruption to our operations as a result of these third-party strikes in Spain.”
However, the airline did concede there may be issues with take-off and landing procedures during the strike hours. Currently no negotiations have been confirmed despite union calls for mediation through Spain’s conflict resolution body SIMA.
This industrial action will directly affect Ryanair’s 12 Spanish bases
The Daily Star previously reported on Ryanair’s essential travel tips for holiday makers travelling to top holiday spots like France, Portugal, Spain and Greece.
On the travel documents section of its FAQs, Ryanair tells passengers: “There are different rules for different destinations, so please be sure to check these before you travel.”
The airline is also rolling out an option for travellers to upload their visa documents during check-in through the app, stating: “To streamline your travel experience and maintain a record of the necessary visa documentation, we are introducing an optional feature to upload the required visa documentation during the check-in process via our app.
“This will demonstrate that you carried the correct documents at the time of departure, to avoid fines or criminal penalties for travelling without the required documents.”
For those jetting off to Spain, Ryanair’s website confirms: “Depending on your nationality and flight destination, a visa may be required to travel.”