Ryanair Under New Wave of Cabin Crew Strikes Across Europe and Spain
A fresh round of strikes is unfolding at Ryanair, with the USO and Sitcpla unions reuniting to push for a new collective bargaining process. The cabin crew will see disruptions that recur weekly, typically from Monday through Thursday, beginning in early August and continuing through early January. The schedule includes a third wave of summer actions that will affect operations across the network, with six days of stoppages in late June and another sequence of twelve days in mid to late July. These action days include multiple consecutive dates that impact key routes and schedules, reflecting growing tensions in the wage and contract talks.
Ryanair remains the market leader for passenger traffic in Spain, offering more than 650 routes from Spanish airports in 2021. The airline operates through ten major bases within Spain, located in Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga, Alicante, Seville, Palma de Mallorca, Valencia, Girona, Santiago de Compostela, and Ibiza. The Spanish Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda has established minimum service levels up to 85 percent on certain routes. Domestic flights to and from the islands are subject to similar minimums, with variations by route length and mode of transport. Where travel time by public transport exceeds five hours, minimum service can be around 60 to 36 percent; for shorter trips, minimums can range from 38 to 34 percent. The practical effect is a consistent service expectation even during disruption, particularly at busy hubs such as El Prat.
Negotiations between Ryanair and the cabin crew unions have been ongoing for months in an effort to establish the initial collective agreement. The USO notes that the airline has shown reluctance to enter meaningful discussions on cabin crew terms. The unions point to a prior agreement signed after a strike in January 2019, and they emphasize the aim of securing a first collective contract that ends contractor usage and ensures direct employment with the company. The unions assert they represent a broad group of crew and demand clear commitments from Ryanair on job security and contract status.
The pandemic, which halted many flights for months, paused negotiations. After October last year, talks resumed briefly until Ryanair withdrew from the table in May, triggering renewed concerns. A key issue cited involves an agreement with another union, which has complicated the landscape for USO and Sitcpla as they seek representation for about a thousand associated cabin crew and another roughly one thousand hostesses employed by the low-cost carrier in Spain. The evolving situation underscores the broader regional tensions in labor relations within the European airline sector.
Recent weeks have seen Ryanair respond to disputes with disciplinary or attendance-related measures and warnings around sickness absence. The USO reports that a number of workers were informed of potential sanctions amid absences due to illness, with the unions arguing that the letters target sick staff and threaten action for irregular attendance. The union leadership contends that the company is using attendance monitoring as a tool to pressure workers and justify dismissals, while expressing concern that the labor department is not taking a firm stand against these practices.
As the discussions continue, Ryanair remains at the center of a contentious debate over worker rights, contract models, and minimum service obligations. The unions stress the importance of a transparent negotiation process that secures fair terms for cabin crew while ensuring stable operations for passengers. The evolving dynamic in Spain is part of a broader European dialogue on employment standards within low-cost aviation, where unions are seeking stronger guarantees and employers seek flexibility to manage schedules and costs.