Spain Airport Strike on July 11 Disrupts Flights Nationwide

Tuesday, July 08, 2025

Empty runway at Madrid-Barajas during Spain airport strike July 2025.

A second consecutive day of industrial action by Spanish airline and airport employees is set for Friday, July 11 2025, threatening fresh waves of cancellations and missed connections at nearly every major airport in Spain. The nationwide walk-out-called by the aeronautical sections of CCOO, UGT, and USO unions-targets ground handling, check-in, and some cabin-crew posts. Travelers planning to start or transit through Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD), Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat (BCN), Málaga-Costa del Sol (AGP), and other hubs should expect rolling delays and must reconfirm bookings before leaving for the airport.

Key Points

Why it matters: July is Spain's peak leisure-travel month; terminal capacity is already near 100 %.
Ground staff, baggage handlers, and select cabin crews will stage 24-hour stoppages on July 10, 11, and 26.
Minimum-service decree guarantees only 50 % of domestic and 60 % of international flights.
Rebooking queues likely exceed three hours at MAD and BCN during Strike windows.
Non-striking carriers will still face knock-on slot delays and ramp-congestion limits.

Snapshot

Spain's three largest union federations for the aviation sector-Comisiones Obreras (CCOO), Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT), and Unión Sindical Obrera (USO)-confirmed a 24-hour nationwide Strike for July 11 2025. The protest follows an inconclusive bargaining round over base-pay restoration and extra summer staffing. A government minimum-services resolution issued on July 8 sets flight-protection quotas but leaves airlines leeway to cancel or retime operations outside protected slots. All 46 Aena-managed civilian airports plus privately run Lleida-Alguaire will be affected, though the heaviest disruption is forecast at hubs handling intercontinental traffic.

Background

Spanish airport labor relations deteriorated after pandemic-era wage freezes met with record traffic rebounds in 2023-24. Ground-service companies under the V Convenio de Asistencia en Tierra report staff shortages above 12 %, forcing mandatory overtime. Unions argue that "surge schedules" violate work-life guarantees and that a proposed 8 % raise lags inflation. Two mediation attempts by the Servicio Interconfederal de Mediación y Arbitraje collapsed on June 27, prompting the multi-day Strike calendar covering July 10, 11, and 26.

Current Status

July 10: First stoppage saw roughly 32 % of scheduled departures cancelled, according to Aena's internal traffic board.
Government action: The Transport Ministry's Resolution 8-Jul-2025 sets 50 % minimum domestic and 60 % minimum international operations, plus 100 % for medical, State, and diversion flights.
Union stance: CCOO and UGT insist talks can resume if employers match the public-sector wage-review formula; USO threatens to extend action into August if no deal emerges by mid-July.
Airline response: Iberia, Vueling, Ryanair, and Air Europa published revised timetables waiving change fees for flights on 10-12 July or rerouted within 72 hours.

Travel Impact

At Madrid-Barajas (MAD) and Barcelona-El Prat (BCN), morning wave departures (06 00-10 00) face the steepest cuts because turnaround crews overlap with overnight shifts that began during Strike hours. Expect:

Cancellations: Up to one in three short-haul flights; long-haul reduced mainly through aircraft swaps and retiming.
Delays: Average off-block delay of 70 minutes at MAD, 55 minutes at BCN; cascading holds across Spanish regional airports.
Connections: Schengen-to-non-Schengen minimum connection times may double-budget two full hours at least.
Ground transport: Taxi lines and local rail to Barajas Terminal 4 extended to 45 minutes during July 10 action; similar or worse likely July 11.
Alternative airports: Consider rerouting through Lisbon (LIS), Toulouse (TLS), or Porto (OPO) and completing the journey by rail or car.

Advice for Travelers

Reconfirm flights 24 h and again 4 h before departure; airline apps usually update faster than airport FIDS.
If cancelled, invoke EU 261/2004 rights for re-routing or refund. Compensation only applies when minimum-service slots were not met.
Avoid checked luggage on short breaks; baggage-handling slowdowns are acute during strikes.
Arrive early: Two-plus hours for intra-Schengen, three for non-Schengen even with fast-track.
Hold on to receipts for meals, transport, or accommodation linked to delays; airlines must reimburse "reasonable" expenses.
Consider nearby hubs (Valencia [VLC], Zaragoza [ZAZ]) if your flight is a domestic hop. High-speed AVE trains can bridge routes Madrid-Barcelona in under three hours.

Looking Ahead

If talks fail after July 26, USO warns of rolling weekly stoppages through August, Spain's busiest holiday month. Monitor the Transport Ministry's website for updated minimum-service orders and subscribe to your carrier's alert service. Travelers with flexible dates should avoid booking departures on published Strike days until a wage accord is signed.