Holidaymakers heading to Spain this Easter are being warned to brace for disruption, as strike action by airport ground staff threatens to impact flights during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
With Holy Week set to bring a surge in passengers, unions including CCOO, UGT and USO have announced industrial action targeting ground handling services — the essential operations that keep airports running, including baggage handling, boarding and aircraft turnaround.
The dispute centres on pay, working conditions and demands for sector-wide labour agreements, with unions warning the industry is once again at breaking point after failed negotiations with handling companies Groundforce and Menzies.
Groundforce staff, who operate at 12 Spanish airports, are planning an indefinite strike from Friday, March 27. Walkouts are scheduled every Monday, Wednesday and Friday in three key time slots: early morning, midday to afternoon, and late evening — raising the likelihood of widespread delays throughout the day.
Meanwhile, workers employed by Menzies are set to stage 24-hour strikes on March 28 and 29, followed by further action between April 2 and April 6, coinciding directly with the Easter travel rush.
The strikes are expected to affect major airports across Spain, including Madrid-Barajas, Barcelona-El Prat, Alicante-Elche, Málaga-Costa del Sol, Palma de Mallorca, Valencia and Bilbao, as well as key island hubs such as Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and Ibiza.
The scale of the potential disruption is significant. Reports suggest that Palma airport alone could see more than 800,000 passengers affected if the strikes go ahead.
If no agreement is reached, the action could continue beyond Easter, with unions warning stoppages may remain in place through to the end of the year.
Adding to the pressure, travellers are also facing delays linked to the rollout of the EU’s new Entry Exit System (EES), which requires non-EU passengers, including British travellers, to register their details at border control.
Early indications show the system is already slowing processing times, with queues building even during quieter periods. Industry bodies including Airports Council International, Airlines for Europe and Iata have warned that waiting times of up to two hours are already being recorded, with fears this could rise to four hours or more during peak travel periods.
In response, airport operator Aena is preparing measures to ease congestion, including dedicated border control lanes for UK and other non-Schengen passengers at several airports.
However, with strike action and border delays combining, travellers are being urged to allow extra time and prepare for possible disruption as Spain heads into its Easter getaway rush.
