Ryanair strike: Staff strikes in Spain extended until December - affecting Barcelona, Ibiza, Malaga, Palma, and Tenerife airports
Ryanair passengers flying to and from Spain face months of disruption after ground handling staff have extended their strike action.
Ground handling staff have 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 now 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.
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.
The unions UGT and CGT say the action follows months of frustration over working conditions. 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 has emphasised that it is not expecting any disruptions and has not faced any disruptions to date. The airline confirmed on Monday (18 August) that none of its flights to and from Spain over the past weekend were affected in any way by the poorly supported handler strikes from Friday to Sunday at a handful of Spanish airports.
The UGT Union has less than 20% of Azul Handling “front of house” staff in membership, and all of Ryanair’s Spanish flights departed normally. So far, no negotiations have been confirmed, despite union calls for mediation through Spain’s conflict resolution body SIMA. While passengers cannot claim compensation, they still have rights.
Travellers affected by cancellations are entitled to a full refund of their ticket or an alternative flight to their final destination. Airlines must also provide care, including meals, drinks, and, if necessary, overnight accommodation.
These obligations remain binding even if strikes are considered extraordinary causes. Reclamio.com stresses that passengers should document all delays, cancellations, and related expenses. Refunds and rerouting remain available regardless of the strike’s cause.