- The indefinite Groundforce ground-handling strike, called by the CGT, began on 4 August and is still on a month later.
- It affects some 11,600 flights scheduled through September and has caused cancellations and baggage waits of up to five hours.
- If the strike is by staff outside the airline, there is a refund or alternative transport and assistance, but in general no compensation.
The indefinite strike by Groundforce ground-handling staff at Barcelona-El Prat airport, called by the CGT, which holds the majority on the works council, began at 00:00 on 4 August 2026. It affects a workforce of 1,179 people serving some twenty airlines, among them Air Europa, Lufthansa, Air France, KLM and Qatar Airways. A month later it is still on. Cancellation figures vary by source: workers’ representatives speak of between 10 and 14 flights a day, and other counts of more than 150 flights cancelled since the start.
The union says it is not asking for money but for health and safety measures: a risk review for outdoor work in extreme temperatures, more staff, more breaks and revised shifts. According to the workers, the company has not given a satisfactory answer and the last negotiating meeting was on 24 July. For companies with frequent travellers, the dispute complicates business trips to and from Barcelona.
Minimum services and reach
The Ministry of Transport set different minimum services by route: 80 % in August and 77 % in September for routes with a public-service obligation or to non-peninsular territories; 58 % and 57 % for international or domestic flights with no public-transport alternative under five hours; and 35 % and 36 % for peninsular links with an alternative under five hours. The Ministry counts about 11,600 scheduled flights, with close to two million travellers potentially affected.
Minimum services reconcile the right to strike with the provision of essential services, but they do not prevent delays. Baggage has been the most visible problem: according to Airhelp, some passengers waited up to five hours, and the peak of bags awaiting handling reached some 6,000, down to around 1,000 by early September.
Traveller rights
European Regulation 261/2004 distinguishes according to who is striking. If it is the airline’s own staff or staff subcontracted by it, the passenger may be entitled to compensation of between €250 and €600 depending on distance, as well as a refund or alternative transport and assistance. If it is outside staff, such as ground-services or security personnel, the analysis published by Público treats it as an extraordinary circumstance: no compensation, but a refund or alternative transport and assistance when the delay exceeds certain thresholds. Each case may need its own analysis.
In practice, keep tickets, boarding passes, expense receipts and the airline’s communications, claim first from the company through a channel that leaves a record and, if there is no reply within 30 days, go to consumer services or the State Aviation Safety Agency. Any baggage incident should be documented at the airport and reported in writing as soon as possible.
What to plan for
Companies with frequent travellers would do well to review their travel policy: book flexible fares, avoid tight connections, check in only essential baggage and carry in the cabin what is needed for a meeting. It is also wise to plan alternatives for urgent transport of goods or documents. In a labour dispute information changes daily, so check the flight status with the airline and with Aena before leaving.
The dispute is a reminder that airport services rely on small workforces and demanding conditions, and that occupational risk prevention, including outdoor work in extreme heat, is a legal requirement and not just a demand. Any company with workers exposed to high temperatures should review its risk assessment and heat protocols with its prevention service.
A long strike is better managed with foresight than with improvisation.
This article is general information. It is not legal, tax or investment advice, and it does not take anyone’s particular circumstances into account.
