Strike Erupts, Hitting Peak Summer Travel Season
On August 3, employees of the ground handling company Groundforce at Barcelona’s El Prat Airport launched an indefinite strike, causing severe disruption to airport operations during the peak tourist season. According to information released by the Spanish General Confederation of Labour (CGT), by August 4, the strike had already led to the cancellation of 10 round-trip flights (i.e., 20 one-way flights), primarily affecting routes to Germany, Italy, and Austria. Additionally, at least two flights departed without any checked baggage loaded, significantly impacting passenger services.
Labor Dispute Escalates Over Occupational Safety Concerns
The CGT has stated that the core reason for the strike is to protest the long-term neglect of workplace risk prevention by Groundforce management, which has led to a continuous deterioration of occupational health and safety conditions. The union reported a “very high” participation rate among Groundforce’s 1,179 employees at Barcelona Airport, covering key positions such as ground support, passenger check-in, boarding gate services, and flight coordination.
Notably, this is not the first time Groundforce has faced labor disputes. In September 2023, the company won the concession for ground handling services at 12 major Spanish airports in a tender by Aena (the Spanish airport authority). However, in March of this year, three major unions—CCOO (Workers’ Commissions), UGT (General Union of Workers), and USO (Workers’ Trade Union)—also called for an indefinite strike against the company.
Impact Widens, Potentially Affecting Nearly Two Million Travelers
This strike is occurring during the busiest summer travel period of the year for Barcelona Airport. Data shows that in the first half of 2026 alone, the airport’s passenger traffic reached approximately 28.3 million. It is projected that from the start of the strike until the end of September, airlines served by Groundforce are scheduled to operate around 11,600 flights at Barcelona Airport, offering nearly 2.4 million seats.
Based on estimated passenger load factors, the Spanish Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility calculates that nearly 2 million passengers could see their travel plans affected to varying degrees over the next two months. The list of affected airlines is extensive, including over a dozen internationally renowned carriers such as Air Europa, Lufthansa, Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Turkish Airlines, Air China, and United Airlines.
Government Intervenes, Sets Minimum Service Levels
To mitigate the strike’s impact on the country’s transportation and tourism sectors, the Spanish Ministry of Transport has intervened and established mandatory minimum service percentages. The specific regulations are as follows:
- For routes to and from Spain’s non-peninsular territories (such as the islands), the guaranteed service capacity is 80% for August and 77% for September.
- For international routes and long-haul domestic routes where ground transport alternatives exceed 5 hours, the minimum service levels are 58% for August and 57% for September.
- For short-haul domestic routes with ground transport alternatives available within 5 hours, the guaranteed percentages are 35% for August and 36% for September.
As the strike has no definite end date, passengers planning to travel through Barcelona Airport during this period are advised to closely monitor their flight status and confirm arrangements for checked baggage with their airline.
