Industrial strikes at Spanish airports ahead of busy bank holiday weekend

Passengers are being urged to prepare for delays and schedule changes, as limited ground staff means flight turnaround times can take longer. 

Spanish airport ground staff will be striking during the busy Easter bank holiday travel period, as travellers are being urged to prepare for delays and schedule changes. 

Walkouts have been called by Spanish trade unions following disputes over salaries and working conditions, and they are pushing for labour agreements.

An indefinite strike began on Monday and will see stoppages on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays during three time slots: 5am to 7 am, from 11 am to 5 pm and from 10 pm to midnight.

The action will affect 12 airports, including Madrid-Barajas, Málaga-Costa del Sol, Alicante-Elche, Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona-El Prat, Gran Canaria, Tenerife Sur and Norte, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Valencia, Ibiza and Bilbao.

Passengers are being urged to prepare for delays and schedule changes, as limited ground staff means flight turnaround times can take longer. 

At the affected airports, travellers should plan for longer check-in and bag drop queues, baggage handling delays and slower boarding and disembarkation processes.

Cork set to be busy

It comes as over 65,000 passengers are set to travel through Cork airport this weekend, with Friday set to be the busiest day for both arrivals and departures. 

"The airport is preparing for a strong influx of inbound visitors, particularly from the UK, where both Good Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays," a spokesperson for Cork Airport said. 

Many passengers are set to fly to warmer destinations this weekend, including Alicante, Lanzarote, Tenerife, Valencia, Malaga and Faro. 

Managing Director at Cork Airport, Niall MacCarthy, said: "Easter is always a great kick‑off to our busy season at Cork Airport, and it’s fantastic to see so many people choosing to fly with us again this year. We’re expecting a lively weekend, with strong demand for sunshine breaks and a big wave of visitors coming in from the UK. 

"Our summer schedule is now up and running, and there’s a brilliant mix of destinations on offer from Cork.

"We’re progressing well on our Capital Development Programme, and despite the significant works on the construction of a new mezzanine floor, the passenger experience from Cork Airport is still as friendly and easy as ever. 

"We encourage passengers this weekend to arrive 90 minutes before flight departure time, given the increased traffic with Easter season," Mr MacCarthy added.