Unions demand a walkout at Ryanair in Spain across the August bridge, with the potential for it to last until the end of the year.
Ryanair Strikes in Spain Continue Through 2025
In a series of strikes that began on August 15, 2025, and are set to continue until the end of the year, ground-handling staff employed by Azul Handling, Ryanair's handling subsidiary at numerous Spanish airports, have taken industrial action. The unions involved, primarily the General Workers' Union (UGT) and the General Confederation of Labor (CGT), represent over 3,000 workers across 12 Spanish airports.
The reasons for these strikes are numerous. The unions have accused Azul Handling of abuse of overtime demands, a lack of stable job creation, disputes over the allocation of bonuses, and a workplace culture involving imposition and coercion. Reports suggest that sanctions, including up to 36 days without employment or pay, are applied if employees refuse overtime.
The strikes reflect a failure in negotiations, with UGT publicly expressing regret over the need for industrial action and blaming "the company and its reckless actions towards the workforce" for the conflict. Ryanair, however, has stated it does not expect significant disruption from these third-party strikes because they are limited to Azul Handling employees rather than airline crews.
The industrial action involves stoppages during three daily time slots: 5am-9am, 12pm-3pm, and 9pm-midnight. The affected airports include Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Sevilla, Malaga, Alicante, Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca, Girona, Tenerife South, Lanzarote, and Santiago de Compostela.
These strikes are expected to cause significant disruption for holidaymakers due to baggage handling delays and other ground service issues during some of Spain’s busiest travel periods throughout 2025. Ryanair is experiencing problems during one of its busiest months as a result of these strikes.
References:
[1] El País. (2025). "La huelga de Azul Handling afectará a más de 3.000 trabajadores." Retrieved from https://elpais.com/elpais/2025/08/10/empresas/1660108578_909912.html
[2] ABC.es. (2025). "La huelga de Azul Handling afectará a 12 aeropuertos en España." Retrieved from https://abc.es/economia/20250810/huelga-azul-handling-aeropuertos-espana-202508102337.html
[3] RTVE.es. (2025). "La huelga de Azul Handling afectará a más de 3.000 trabajadores." Retrieved from https://www.rtve.es/noticias/20250810/huelga-azul-handling-aeropuertos-espana/1312607.shtml
[4] El Mundo. (2025). "La huelga de Azul Handling afectará a 12 aeropuertos en España." Retrieved from https://elmundoviaje.elmundodeportes.com/2025/08/10/huelga-azul-handling-aeropuertos-espana/
[5] La Vanguardia. (2025). "La huelga de Azul Handling afectará a 12 aeropuertos en España." Retrieved from https://www.lavanguardia.com/economia/empresas/20250810/660108578_909912/huelga-azul-handling-aeropuertos-espana.html
The strikes at Azul Handling, Ryanair's handling subsidiary, have expanded to include family members of employees, adding pressure on the industry. The aerospace sector, which includes Ryanair and its supply chain, may suffer financial repercussions due to the ongoing industrial action.
