The initial day of a four‑day protest organized by Ryanair’s cabin crew unions in Spain has concluded without further escalation for the moment. The action led to six flights being canceled and 78 flights suffering delays, highlighting the tangible disruption that organized labor can impose on the carrier’s schedule.
Observers note that the scheduling disruption coincided with Spain’s holiday period, according to reports from the USO union and based on data available up to 11:00 am local time on Monday. Among the affected services, four cancellations involved routes to or from Barcelona El Prat, while two cancellations impacted flights arriving at or departing from Palma de Mallorca airport.
The impact of delays was particularly pronounced at Palma de Mallorca, which recorded 19 delayed departures or arrivals, followed by Barcelona with 14, Malaga with 12, Madrid with 8, and Alicante and Ibiza tied at 7 each. Valencia logged 5 delays, with Santiago de Compostela reporting 3, Girona 2, and Seville 1.
The strike schedule spans ten of Ryanair’s Spanish bases, including Madrid, Malaga, Seville, Alicante, Valencia, Barcelona, Girona, Santiago de Compostela, Ibiza, and Palma de Mallorca. These locations underscore the geographic breadth of the disruption and illustrate how strikes can ripple through a carrier’s network, affecting both domestic and international travelers.
Past actions in the same labor dispute saw additional stoppages in June and July. The unions have announced weekly stoppages through January 7, 2023, a period during which the company reportedly reached a wage agreement with a broader labor coalition that included a four‑day work cycle followed by three unpaid days, alongside various supplements. This agreement, negotiated under Spanish labor law, was described as having been reached at the request of a collective agreement for Spanish cabin crew.
The unions stress that the agreement between the aggregators, the dominant union bloc represented by CCOO, and Ryanair is non‑binding if signed by a union body considered non‑representative. This distinction matters for carriers and crews alike, as it influences the enforceability of terms and the pacing of future negotiations. (Attribution: CCOO, Ryanair communications)
Throughout these actions, travelers are urged to check flight statuses frequently and to allow for possible rebookings or alternative travel arrangements. Airlines typically offer guidance on these options through official channels, while labor representatives emphasize the importance of fair wages and safe, predictable working conditions as priorities in ongoing negotiations. (Public advisories and union statements)