Rolling strike action by Ryanair’s ground handling provider in Spain is set to continue on Saturdays through the end of December 2025, making today, Saturday 27 December, a higher risk day for check-in queues, baggage disruption and aircraft turnaround delays at some of the country’s busiest holiday airports.

With affected flights rotating between Spanish and other European bases throughout the day, even short stoppages on the ramp can ripple across schedules, creating knock-on delays well into the evening.

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What is behind the Ryanair ground services dispute in Spain?

The current disruption stems from a long-running labor dispute between the UGT union and Azul Handling, the company that provides ground services for Ryanair across much of Spain.

The union accuses Azul of abusive use of overtime, unstable contracts and disproportionate disciplinary sanctions when workers refuse extra hours. Azul is Ryanair’s in-house ground handling subsidiary, created as the airline sought to bring more of its operations under direct control.

In early August UGT called a nationwide strike at all Spanish bases where Azul operates, escalating what had initially been a more localized dispute in places such as Lanzarote.

The action began with three full days of walkouts in mid-August and then shifted into a pattern of partial stoppages on four days per week, including Saturdays, scheduled to continue until 31 December 2025.

Ryanair has strongly criticized the strikes and insisted that most of its schedule continues to operate. The airline argues that it is working to minimize disruption and has accused unions of using peak travel periods to maximize pressure. However, even limited stoppages in key ground functions such as check-in, ramp handling and baggage loading can make it harder to keep tightly timed low-cost operations running on schedule.

Strike pattern and why Saturdays are especially sensitive

The industrial action is organized as “rolling” or partial strikes, with workers walking off the job in three daily windows: roughly from 05:00 to 09:00, 12:00 to 15:00 and 21:00 until just before midnight.

Those time bands deliberately coincide with the morning departure wave, the busy midday bank and the late evening push that are central to the way low-cost carriers structure their flying day.

According to union announcements and strike calendars compiled by specialist trackers, the stoppages affect every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday through 31 December 2025 at all Azul Handling bases in Spain.

That means every Saturday, including 27 December, remains on the strike calendar, just as holiday traffic stays elevated with post-Christmas getaways and returns.

Saturdays are already among the busiest days for leisure-focused airlines like Ryanair, especially at sun-and-city destinations such as Barcelona, Malaga and Palma de Mallorca. Aircraft utilization is typically high, with short ground times and back-to-back rotations throughout the day.

Even a small reduction in ground handling capacity during peak periods can lead to longer queues and slower turnarounds that are hard to recover from once the day is underway.

Airports and operations most exposed to disruption

The strike does not affect every Spanish airport equally. It targets locations where Azul Handling operates Ryanair’s ground services, a network that includes Madrid Barajas, Barcelona El Prat, Valencia, Seville, Malaga, Alicante, Girona, Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca, Lanzarote, Tenerife South, Santiago de Compostela and other bases that are heavily used by the carrier. At many of these airports, Ryanair is either the largest or one of the largest airlines by number of flights.

Barcelona El Prat and Madrid Barajas stand out as particularly sensitive. In Barcelona, Ryanair is a major operator and relies on tight turnarounds to connect early-morning arrivals with mid-morning departures. Any slowdown in baggage unloading, cleaning or boarding can easily push flights beyond their scheduled slot times, triggering further delays.

Madrid is not Ryanair’s largest base but plays a key role in linking Spanish domestic routes with international services, so disruption there can quickly spread across the network.

Holiday destinations such as Malaga, Alicante, Palma de Mallorca, Tenerife South, Lanzarote and Ibiza are also exposed, especially on Saturdays when package holiday turnover is intense. Many passengers on these routes travel with checked luggage and often arrive early for morning flights, creating heavy demand on check-in counters and baggage belts at precisely the hours covered by the strike calls.

How delays can cascade across the Ryanair network

Although the strikes are geographically limited to Spain and time-limited to set windows, their impact can extend well beyond individual airports or time bands. Ryanair’s business model relies on high aircraft utilization, with each plane operating multiple legs per day that connect bases around Europe.

A delay at one Spanish airport early in the day can push a particular aircraft behind schedule for subsequent flights from other cities, including those outside Spain.

For example, a Saturday morning flight from Barcelona to Dublin that encounters a delayed turnaround due to reduced ramp staffing may depart late. That same aircraft might then be scheduled to operate a lunchtime service from Dublin to Manchester and an afternoon rotation to another Spanish base. If the initial delay is not fully recovered, each subsequent leg risks leaving late, dragging the disruption across borders and into the evening peak.

Because the strikes occur in distinct blocks rather than as full-day stoppages, there can be a temptation for airlines to assume that operations will normalize between windows.

In practice, clearing backlogs from earlier delays takes time. Bags left behind during a disrupted loading window may need to be rerouted on later flights, and passengers who miss connections can require rebooking, all of which adds further pressure on staff during the non-strike periods.

What passengers are experiencing at Spanish airports today

On Saturdays during the strike period, travelers report longer-than-usual queues at Ryanair check-in desks and bag-drop counters during the early morning and midday peaks, along with slower baggage delivery on arrival. While not every flight is delayed, the risk of disruption is clearly higher during the strike windows, especially at the busiest Azul Handling stations.

Airports themselves are operating normally, and air traffic control services are not part of the dispute. Security queues, passport control and non-Ryanair flights are generally unaffected, although knock-on congestion in terminal areas can build when several delayed flights depart around the same time.

For many passengers, the most visible signs of the strike are ground staff pickets near terminal entrances and announcements of delayed boarding “due to operational reasons.”

Some Ryanair flights have been preemptively adjusted, with minor schedule tweaks or aircraft swaps, as the airline tries to avoid the most sensitive time bands or reassigns ground handling where alternative providers exist.

However, given the scale of Azul’s Spanish network and the broad scope of the strike call, it is not realistic to fully avoid the impact, particularly on high-traffic days like the final Saturdays of December.

Advice for travelers flying with Ryanair in Spain

Passengers due to travel with Ryanair to, from or within Spain on Saturdays through 31 December are being advised to allow extra time at the airport and to keep a close eye on their flight status.

Arriving at least three hours ahead for flights that depart in or immediately after a strike window is sensible, especially if checking bags. Those connecting on separate tickets, such as self-made itineraries involving different carriers, should consider longer buffer times.

Travelers can reduce some vulnerability by traveling with cabin baggage only where possible, checking in online, and printing or downloading boarding passes in advance. This can shorten the time spent in airport queues and reduce reliance on ground staff during the strike periods. For those who must check luggage, tagging bags clearly and keeping essentials in carry-on remains prudent in case of delayed or misrouted baggage.

Ryanair’s standard policy is to notify customers of major schedule changes or cancellations via email and app alerts. Because this industrial action focuses on partial stoppages rather than wholesale cancellations, many affected flights may still operate but with short to moderate delays.

Passengers are therefore encouraged to monitor their flight status on the day of departure and to remain near the gate once checked in, as boarding can sometimes be brought forward quickly when staffing allows.

Industrial relations context and what could change next

The Azul Handling dispute is part of a wider pattern of labor unrest at European airports as ground staff seek better pay and conditions in the wake of the pandemic and amid high inflation.

In Spain, ground handling is a competitive sector with multiple private providers operating under contract to airlines and airports. Worker representatives argue that this pressure to keep costs low has led to chronic understaffing and intensive use of overtime that is unsustainable.

Union leaders have framed the strike not only as a fight over sanctions and overtime at Azul but also as a test of whether large carriers like Ryanair can rely on in-house units to deliver ground handling while still respecting national labor norms.

Mediation processes were requested earlier in the dispute, but union statements suggest that talks so far have not produced a compromise sufficient to call off the action before the end-of-year deadline.

At the time of writing, the strike call extending through 31 December remains in force, with no public announcement of a settlement. Given the complexity of staffing rosters and the need for clear notice periods, any last-minute deal would take time to translate into fully restored operations.

Travelers booked on the remaining December Saturdays should therefore continue to plan on the basis that partial disruptions will remain likely, even if negotiations resume behind the scenes.

FAQ

Q1. Which days are affected by the Ryanair ground services strike in Spain?
UGT has called partial strikes at Azul Handling every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday through 31 December 2025, including today, Saturday 27 December.

Q2. Which airports are most likely to see disruption today?
The highest risk is at Spanish airports where Azul Handling serves Ryanair, including Madrid Barajas, Barcelona El Prat, Valencia, Seville, Malaga, Alicante, Girona, Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca, Lanzarote, Tenerife South and Santiago de Compostela.

Q3. At what times of day do the strikes take place?
The walkouts are scheduled in three daily windows: approximately 05:00 to 09:00, 12:00 to 15:00 and 21:00 to 23:59 local time, overlapping with key departure and arrival peaks.

Q4. What kind of disruption should passengers expect?
Travelers may face longer queues at check-in and bag drop, slower baggage delivery on arrival, and delays to boarding and departure as ground staff availability is reduced during strike windows.

Q5. Are flights being canceled or only delayed?
Most of the action is in the form of partial stoppages, so many flights still operate but with delays. Some services may be rescheduled or occasionally canceled where staffing shortages are acute, but widespread cancellations have so far been limited.

Q6. Does the strike affect flights on other airlines?
The dispute specifically targets Azul Handling, which serves Ryanair. Other airlines using different handling agents are not directly involved, although overall terminal congestion could indirectly affect the wider airport operation at busy times.

Q7. What can passengers do to minimize problems on strike days?
Arriving early, checking in online, traveling with carry-on only if possible and monitoring flight status closely can all help. Keeping essential items in hand luggage reduces the impact of any delayed checked bags.

Q8. If my Ryanair flight is heavily delayed, what are my rights?
Passenger rights depend on the length of delay, route and circumstances. In general, airlines may owe care such as meals and accommodation for long delays, and in some cases compensation, although strikes can be treated as extraordinary circumstances. Travelers should consult official guidance and Ryanair’s conditions of carriage.

Q9. Could delays in Spain affect flights elsewhere in Europe?
Yes. Because Ryanair operates aircraft on multi-leg rotations across its network, a delay on a morning flight from a Spanish base can push the same plane behind schedule for later services from other countries.

Q10. Is there any sign the strikes will be called off before the end of December?
As of today there has been no public announcement of a deal to suspend the action, and the strike calendar still lists Saturdays through 31 December. While talks could resume at short notice, travelers should continue to plan as though the scheduled strikes will go ahead.