British travellers may face further disruptions due to worker strikes at Palma Airport in Majorca, Spain. The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) has already caused long delays, and now these strikes add to the chaos.
Strike Details
Staff who assist passengers with reduced mobility (PMR) at Palma Airport began an indefinite 24-hour strike on Wednesday, 17 June, after talks with the airport services contractor Adelte ended without an agreement. Workers are in a row with the airport over so-called ‘on-call’ work, where they have to remain by their phones 24/7 and also having to work more hours than contracted.
More strikes are possible, as staff have been staging walkouts every Saturday since May 25. The latest strike follows strikes in Portugal on June 3rd 2026, leading to 44.7% of flights scheduled to Portuguese airports that day being cancelled.
Impact on Passengers
The strike could affect vast numbers of passengers, as Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI) served about 33.8 million passengers last year. It is the third-busiest airport in Spain and can handle up to 12,000 passengers per hour during the summer peak. Millions of Brits fly to the Spanish island each year, meaning many will be affected by the planned strike this week and could experience delays as hundreds of flights run each week between the UK and Majorca.
According to the Majorca Daily Bulletin, the strike began after workers turned down the latest offer from airport services contractor Adelte. Out of 151 employees who voted, 96% supported the strike. This action follows several smaller disputes in recent weeks.
The website adds: "The strike threatens to disrupt a key service at one of Spain's busiest holiday airports during the peak summer season." Union representatives argue that Adelte's proposal would have left staff with worse employment conditions than those they currently enjoy, prompting near-unanimous opposition from the workforce.
Advice for Travellers
Passengers are advised to arrive early at the airport and to monitor flight statuses directly through their airline or via the Palma Airport Live Departures guide. The ATBA website says that if your flight from the UK is cancelled, your airline must offer you a replacement flight as soon as possible or give you a refund. This rule also applies if you are denied boarding, such as when your flight is overbooked, and there are not enough seats.
If your return flight to the UK is cancelled and you are travelling within the UK or with a UK or EU airline, you can also choose a replacement flight as soon as possible or get a refund. If you are flying from outside the UK with a non-UK or non-EU airline, you should check your booking’s terms and conditions to see what you are entitled to.
Since strikes are outside the airline’s control, you will not get compensation. If your flight is cancelled or delayed and you choose a refund, the airline does not have to provide additional assistance, such as meals, accommodation, or phone calls.
