December airline strikes threaten Christmas travel chaos across Spain and the Canaries
A wave of airline and airport strikes throughout December are set to cause widespread disruption across Spain, the UK, Portugal and Italy, raising serious concerns for travellers during one of the busiest periods of the year, including here in the Canary Islands.
With the Christmas and New Year holidays approaching, millions of people are preparing to escape for a winter break or fly home to see family. However, industrial action affecting baggage handling and ground services is expected to lead to flight delays, cancellations and longer waiting times at airports, particularly on key travel dates.
Travellers are being urged to stay informed, check flight status regularly and allow extra time at airports.
Spain: Baggage-handling strike hits major airports
In Spain, disruption is already ongoing due to a baggage-handlers’ strike by Azul Handling, a company that forms part of the Ryanair Group. The strike began on 15th August 2025 and is scheduled to continue until 31st December 2025, covering the entire festive travel period.
The coordinated walkouts are taking place four days a week on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, at three daily time slots:
- 5.00am to 9.00am
- 12.00pm to 3.00pm
- 9.00pm to 11.59pm
These coincide with some of the busiest times for airport operations, increasing the risk of delays to departures, arrivals and baggage delivery, and although haven’t always been maintained or affected passengers, are expected to intensify at peak times to ‘prove a point’.
The dispute centres on unresolved overtime payments, bonus agreements and the lack of stable job creation for part-time workers.
The strike is expected to affect five airports in the Canary Islands and more in mainland Spain and the Balearics, including:
- Fuerteventura
- Gran Canaria
- Lanzarote
- Tenerife North
- Tenerife South
- Alicante
- Barcelona
- Girona
- Ibiza
- Madrid
- Málaga
- Palma de Mallorca
- Santiago de Compostela
- Seville
- Valencia
Ryanair has stated that it expects to operate its planned flight schedules, but has acknowledged that delays cannot be completely ruled out due to the ongoing industrial action.
UK: Four-day walkout at London Luton Airport
In the United Kingdom, London Luton Airport is preparing for significant disruption following the announcement of a four-day strike by ground handling staff employed by DHL.
According to reports, the walkout will take place in two phases:
- From 3.00am on 19th December to 3.00am on 22th December
- From 3.00am on 26th December to 3.00am on 29th December
More than 400 flights are expected to be affected during these strike periods, potentially impacting thousands of passengers travelling before and after Christmas.
Luton Airport serves as a key hub for several low-cost airlines, meaning holidaymakers and budget travellers could be particularly affected.
Advice for travellers
With further strike action also expected in Portugal and Italy, passengers flying in December are advised to:
- Check flight status frequently with airlines and airports
- Allow extra time for check-in, security and baggage collection
- Travel with hand luggage where possible
- Monitor official airline communications and travel alerts
As Europe heads into peak festive travel season, these strikes are likely to test passenger patience, making advance planning and flexibility essential for anyone flying over the coming weeks.
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