UK tourists are facing disruption as ground staff at 12 Spanish airports begin an indefinite strike from Monday, March 30. The walkout, called by unions CCOO, UGT, and USO, affects over 1.34 million passengers during the busy Easter period.
The strikes involve workers from Groundforce and Menzies, demanding wage increases and improved contracts. Partial stoppages occur in three daily slots: 5-7am, 11am-5pm, and 10pm-midnight on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. If no agreement is reached, unions plan to extend strikes to weekends until year-end.
Spanish airport operator Aena advises passengers to contact their airlines for flight status. The strikes were postponed from last Friday to allow negotiations, but no deal has been confirmed. Menzies faces a separate strike from April 2-6, though talks over the weekend showed progress.
The impact is particularly severe in the Canary Islands, where around 1,000 Groundforce workers are involved. Unions highlight the critical role of ground handling to the regional economy. UK travellers should expect delays and potential cancellations at affected airports.
