Second of four days of industrial action by Iberia ground handling workers saw the airline maintain the same follower share at 15.62% while reporting overall normal operations at Spanish airports. On Saturday, Iberia confirmed that foot traffic and flight activity were largely steady across its network, with air travel continuing to move at typical levels despite the protests.
The company noted that punctuality remained around the 80 percent mark across the network, a slight drop from the previous day’s 88.6 percent. Reported disruptions involved luggage handling, particularly from Bilbao, where several incidents occurred on flights departing in the morning. Some suitcases that could not be loaded yesterday were later routed by road and rejoined onward journeys on Friday afternoon, minimizing further delays for those affected travelers. In the case of baggage destined for Barcelona, the items were transported by air and redirected toward their final destinations with the aim of maintaining service continuity.
The Spanish Consumers Association, known as Asescon, urged passengers experiencing baggage issues to file complaints at the airport. The group reminded travelers of their right to compensation for essential items delayed or lost, provided there is a receipt proving the expense. This guidance aligns with consumer protection practices in the current travel climate and underscores the need for clear documentation when making claims.
Minimum services
During the second day of protests, Iberia emphasized that the minimum level of ground operations and air infrastructure services were met by the workforce, which the airline described as functioning in a normal capacity under the circumstances. Ground handling teams at several locations reported maintaining essential operations despite the strike activity, ensuring that critical airport functions continued without major interruption.
Official estimates from the ground handling unions suggested that around 8,000 workers are involved in basic operations across the sector. Analysts noted that in some airports, minimum service levels approached full coverage, while in others the rate hovered around a significant portion of the staff. This variability reflected the dispersed impact of the strike on different hubs and the challenges of maintaining uniform service under protest conditions.
From a labor perspective, representatives characterized Friday’s actions as a visible expression of broader concerns within the industry, with some unions reporting that roughly 80 percent of the workforce did not participate in the minimum service commitments. The dynamic illustrated the tension between protest activity and mandated service levels, a balance that airlines and airports continue to navigate in real time.
Public officials and labor authorities received communications from Iberia’s partners indicating that operations remained compliant with minimum service rules, while questions around information sharing and flight protections persisted. A filing with the Labor Inspectorate highlighted that access to certain flight-level data and staff assignments might have privacy implications, triggering discussions about data transparency and freedom of association in the context of ongoing labor actions.
No cancellations
Despite the strike, Iberia and its subsidiaries asserted they would operate a full schedule for the day, aiming to keep as many flights as possible on track, a stance echoed by Iberia at multiple points through the day. The airline stressed its commitment to keeping the majority of services on time and minimizing ripple effects for travelers who rely on timely departures.
Over the four days of protest, Iberia canceled a total of 444 routes in advance, distributed as 270 by the core airline, 64 by Iberia Express, and 110 by Air Nostrum. The disruption affected roughly 45,000 passengers, with more than nine out of ten travelers rebooked onto alternative flights or issued refunds for their tickets. The scale of the disruption prompted extensive contingency planning across Iberia’s network and among partner carriers.
Iberia’s ground handling subsidiary operates in cooperation with more than 90 airlines and maintains a presence at 29 Spanish airports, coordinating logistics, baggage handling, and aircraft servicing across a broad geographic footprint. The situation remained a focal point for industry observers monitoring how major carriers manage operations during periods of labor action and the strategies employed to minimize passenger inconvenience.
(acv/prb) (photo) (video)