Madrid Airport Ground Handlers Announce Strikes Over Holiday Period

Industrial Action to Impact Madrid-Barajas Operations

Ground handling staff at Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD) have announced a series of strikes set to disrupt air travel during the busy Christmas and New Year holiday season. The industrial action, called by unions USO and CGT, will take place on December 23, 26, and 30, 2025, as well as January 2 and 7, 2026. These partial walkouts are expected to cause significant flight delays, cancellations, and disruptions for passengers traveling through Spain's busiest airport.

Strike Schedule and Affected Airlines

The strikes are not full-day stoppages but rather targeted partial walkouts designed to impact peak travel times. Ground staff will cease work during two daily four-hour blocks: from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM and from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM local time on each of the designated strike days. This schedule aims to maximize disruption during busy morning waves and evening peaks at Barajas.

The dispute primarily involves South Europe Ground Services, the ground-handling business linked to International Airlines Group (IAG) in Spain. Consequently, flights operated by IAG-owned airlines such as Iberia, Iberia Express, Iberia Regional Air Nostrum, British Airways, Aer Lingus, and Vueling are most likely to be affected. Services impacted include check-in support, baggage operations, and ramp services.

Reasons Behind the Industrial Action

The unions, USO and CGT, have stated that the strikes stem from long-standing grievances regarding management practices and underpayment. Their demands include:

• Correction of repeated payslip errors and resolution of unpaid or incorrectly paid amounts.
• Application of supplements recognized by firm court rulings.
• Equal treatment for part-time staff concerning rest days and holidays.
• Stronger training for new employees.
• More workable rostering to improve work-life balance.

Union representatives assert that talks with management have not yielded satisfactory changes for their members, leading to the decision to strike during a period when the impact will be most keenly felt.

Traveler Advisory and Airline Response

Travelers flying to or from Madrid during the strike periods are advised to anticipate potential disruptions, including slower check-in processes, baggage delays, and possible missed connections. Iberia has already issued a flexibility policy for customers, allowing those with tickets purchased before December 20, 2025, for flights operated by Iberia, Iberia Express, or Iberia Regional Air Nostrum, to change their travel dates up to January 15, 2026. Passengers who booked through third-party agents are encouraged to contact their respective booking channels for rebooking options. Airport operator Aena anticipates over 100,000 flights across Spain between December 19, 2025, and January 7, 2026, highlighting the significant volume of travel coinciding with the industrial action.