Aircraft also forced to take off without possessions, Spanish media report
Travellers at Terminal T4 of Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport, as two ground handling strikes hit passengers(Image: Getty Images)
Spanish media have reported that luggage has been left behind or simply not been unloaded from aircraft as a massive strike across 12 airports continues in the run-up to Easter. After the second day of the indefinite strike called at 12 Spanish airports by Groundforce, at least six planes had to depart this Monday from Madrid-Barajas Airport without passengers’ luggage, ABC reported
The strike continues at Groundforce’s ground handling facility, a Globalia group company that provides services to the airports of Madrid, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Alicante, Málaga, Gran Canaria, Valencia, Ibiza, Bilbao, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, and air cargo in Zaragoza.
These work stoppages, called by the unions CCOO, UGT, and USO due to wage disputes with the company, are scheduled for Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays during the morning, afternoon, and night shifts – from 5 to 7am, 11am to 5pm, and from 10pm to midnight.
Some airports have had little disruption, Europress reported. Palma Airport was said to be operating almost as normal early on Wednesday morning, with isolated delays due to a ground staff strike.
Specifically, there have been two delays to departures and four delays to arrivals, according to information from Aena obtained by Europa Press. Ibiza Airport, which is also affected by the ground staff strike, has not reported any incidents.
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Union FeSMC-UGT said widespread impacts include widespread delays averaging nearly one hour per flight, flights left unattended, with essential ground handling services clearly overwhelmed, and cancellations, especially during peak hours.
They also claimed thousands of bags have been left unloaded or delivered late, generating an unprecedented logistical collapse.
A spokesman said: “All of this constitutes the epilogue to irresponsible management by the company, which has opted for conflict instead of dialogue. A company that, judging by the facts, seems to care very little about its workers, its customers, and the thousands of affected passengers.
“The current situation reflects a complete breakdown in labour relations and an unprecedented deterioration of the internal climate, with an uncertain future if there is no immediate change in attitude.”
Meanwhile, ground handling company Menzies, which provides services to airlines such as Norwegian, EasyJet, and Canaryfly in the Canary Islands, reached an agreement and called off a strike planned for April 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th, coinciding with the peak days of Holy Week.
The strike, which had been called due to the company’s “organisational insolvency,” was going to affect approximately 3,000 of the group’s employees in Spain, 600 of them in the Canary Islands. It should be noted that the first days of the strike were scheduled for last Saturday and Sunday, but were cancelled due to the start of negotiations between the union representatives and the company.
Negotiations have concluded with an agreement between all parties, representing significant progress in labour rights and improved working conditions, thanks to the “constant effort and advocacy of UGT,” the union stated in a press release.