Ryanair Ground Staff Strike Threatens Summer Travel Chaos in Spain

At the call of the UGT union section of the company - supported by the second largest union, the CGT - Ryanair’s ground handling services in Spain will go on strike during the August 15 bridge, one of the busiest air traffic periods of the year. The union intends to extend the mobilizations until December 31, 2025. The UGT has already set a schedule for this series of strikes. The first three days of this walkout "will take place on August 15, 16 and 17, then will recur every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, at key times of the day (from 5am to 9am, from 12pm to 3pm and from 9pm to midnight), which are the busiest times for ground handling," it is specified.

The unions have several grievances against the management of Azul Handling, the subsidiary in charge of handling for Ryanair. These include the lack of creation of permanent positions, the refusal to consolidate the schedules of part-time permanent employees, pressure to work overtime (sometimes accompanied by disproportionate penalties), non-compliance with sectoral agreements on guarantees and bonuses, as well as restrictions deemed illegal on reintegration after sick leave or adaptation of schedules for family reasons. "We denounce a deliberate strategy of precariousness and pressure that tramples on the fundamental rights of employees and turns a deaf ear to union demands," said José Manuel Pérez Grande, federal secretary of the UGT air sector.

The union demands the lifting of sanctions. It calls for compliance with the prescriptions of the joint commissions and the rapid opening of negotiations in order to improve the working conditions for more than 3,000 employees concerned throughout the country. Ryanair is facing this social movement at a time when it has announced a significant increase in its net profit. According to its financial results published on July 21, 2025, its net profit amounted to 820 million euros in the first quarter of the 2025/2026 fiscal year, compared to 360 million euros in the same period last year.

This large-scale strike of its ground handling services could disrupt flights between Spain and countries like Morocco.