British travellers face continued disruption as indefinite ground-handling strikes at Barcelona-El Prat Airport enter their third week with no end date, a travel expert has warned. Holidaymakers flying through Barcelona in the coming weeks are being advised to prepare for possible flight and baggage delays.
Groundforce workers at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport began indefinite industrial action on August 4. The company provides services including check-in, boarding, baggage handling and flight coordination for around 20 airlines at the airport.
September trips at risk
The dispute is particularly relevant for travellers with September trips booked. Jürgen Himmelmann, co-founder of Global Work & Travel, urged anyone with a late-August or September trip through Barcelona not to assume the disruption will be over by the time they travel.
He said: "The important thing for anyone with a Barcelona trip coming up is that this strike doesn't currently have a fixed end date. If you're travelling in September, don't assume that because your holiday is a few weeks away, the issue will have been resolved by then."
"That doesn't mean your flight will be disrupted, but it does mean it's worth preparing now. Check which airline you're travelling with, keep monitoring your booking and think about what you'd need with you if your checked luggage was delayed."
Impact and minimum services
As the strike hit its second week, around 6,000 suitcases had not reached their destination, and around 270 flights had been cancelled, according to data from the strike committee reported by Catalan News.
As of the latest major update on August 18, the strike remained unresolved, with the CGT union saying there had been no progress in negotiations. Spain's Ministry of Transport has set minimum service requirements covering both August and September, however, these vary depending on the type of route.
While 80% of flights should run between mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla during August, just 58% of flights between Spanish cities and international destinations must run.
Airlines advise passengers
Airlines including Lufthansa said it expects disruptions to flights to and from Barcelona. It asked passengers to check the status of their flight before setting out on their journey. The union has attributed the strikes to work-life balance, job security, and the impact of the role on workers' health.
