Spain travel warning: Ryanair strike to disrupt flights until New Year
Ryanair passengers flying to and from Spain face months of disruption after ground handling staff announced 76 days of strike action running through to the end of the year.
The strikes, called by workers at Azul Handling, the company that provides ground services for Ryanair at Spanish airports, began on 15th August and will continue until 31st December 2025.
After an initial three-day stoppage (15th –17th August), staff will strike every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The walkouts are timed to hit the busiest hours at airports: 5:00–9:00, 12:00–15:00, and 21:00–23:59.
Airports affected
The action directly impacts Ryanair’s 12 Spanish bases: Alicante, Barcelona, Girona, Ibiza, Lanzarote, Madrid, Málaga, Palma de Mallorca, Santiago de Compostela, Sevilla, Tenerife South, and Valencia.
While airports without a fixed Ryanair base, such as Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Menorca, Santander and others, are not officially part of the strike, they may still suffer knock-on delays and cancellations due to disrupted schedules.
Why workers are striking
The unions UGT and CGT say the action follows 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.
- Compliance with sector agreements on pay and allowances.
- Fair treatment over medical leave and work-life balance.
José Manuel Pérez Grande, from UGT’s aviation sector, accused Azul Handling of maintaining “a strategy of precariousness and pressure that undermines basic labour rights.” CGT added that the situation had become “unsustainable” and workers had been left with no choice but to strike.
Ryanair’s response
Ryanair has downplayed the disruption, insisting: “We do not expect any interruption to our operations as a result of these third-party strikes in Spain.” However, the airline did admit there may be issues with take-off and landing procedures during the strike hours.
So far, no negotiations have been confirmed, despite union calls for mediation through Spain’s conflict resolution body SIMA.
What passengers need to know
Under EU Regulation 261/2004, travellers whose flights are cancelled are entitled to:
- Compensation of €250, €400 or €600, depending on flight distance.
- A full refund within seven days, or alternative transport to their final destination.
- Reimbursement for reasonable expenses, such as hotels, meals, or onward connections.
Claims can be filed directly through Ryanair’s website using a booking reference and purchase email. If the airline fails to comply, passengers can escalate complaints through consumer organisations or Spain’s State Aviation Safety Agency (AESA).
Consumer group FACUA reminds passengers that airlines must provide either a full refund or a re-routed journey to the destination, regardless of the cause of cancellation.
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