Disruption in Ryanair Operations: Employees in Spain Go on Strike
The ongoing strike by ground staff at Azul Handling, a company affiliated with Ryanair, is causing potential flight disruptions at major airports across Spain. The industrial action, which began on August 15, 2025, is scheduled to continue intermittently every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday until the end of 2025.
The affected airports include Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Malaga, Alicante, Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca, Girona, Tenerife South, Lanzarote, and Santiago de Compostela. These airports serve as hubs for numerous flights, including those operated by Ryanair.
Passengers may experience delays and baggage handling issues due to the strike. It is advised that travelers check the status of their flights before departing and arrive at the airport earlier than usual to accommodate longer processing times at check-in and security.
So far, the strike has caused mostly minor delays with no widespread cancellations reported. This is partly due to legal minimum service requirements during strikes in Spain that limit the extent of stoppage effects.
The airport operator Aena's online displays showed only slight delays, but no flight cancellations, at major airports. The situation on Mallorca was relatively normal, in part due to Spain's legal requirement for minimum staffing during strikes.
It is important to note that the strike is not affecting all airlines operating in Spain, but it is specifically impacting Ryanair flights through Azul Handling. The airport staff's demands centre around better pay, improved working conditions, and labour rights protections.
The involvement of another handling company, Menzies, which works for several airlines, could potentially escalate the disruptions beyond the initial impact. From Saturday, Menzies has announced strikes on weekends until the end of August.
Travelers are urged to monitor their flight status closely and allow extra time at airports to ensure a smooth journey amidst these potential disruptions.
The strike at Azul Handling, afflicting Ryanair and various airports across Spain, is internally linked to the aerospace and transportation industries due to the ground staff's role in airline operations. Finance is also implicitly involved, as the demands center around better pay and improved working conditions for the striking staff.
The ongoing labor dispute, though primarily impacting Ryanair, could potentially expand with Menzies' announced weekend strikes until the end of August, affecting multiple airlines and leading to further flight disruptions in the air and ground transportation sectors.
