Azul Handling, the ground services subsidiary of Ryanair, has commenced a strike at all its bases in Spain starting today, the fifteenth of August, due to ongoing tensions regarding penalties imposed on workers and alleged abuses relating to additional working hours. This action will extend to include the sixteenth and seventeenth of August, as announced by the trade union UGT. The strike is also set to affect the same days every week until the end of December.

The strike across Ryanair’s Spanish operations will impact several airports, including Madrid, Málaga, Barcelona, and others. In light of these disruptions, the Ministry of Transport has stipulated minimum service levels ranging from seventy-six to eighty-seven percent for domestic routes involving non-peninsular territories throughout August. Additionally, these figures will be adjusted for September and October.

UGT indicates that the workers’ grievances stem from sanctions levied against those refusing to undertake non-mandatory overtime, with potential penalties resulting in up to thirty-six days without pay. Furthermore, the union criticises the lack of stable job creation and adherence to agreements regarding guarantees and compensation.

Additionally, ground staff from the Menzies Group, servicing airlines such as British Airways and EasyJet, will join the strike during select dates in August. Those affected include major Spanish airports, signalling significant disruption over the coming days.