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Despite Michael O’ Leary’s assurances that the imminent cabin crew strikes in Spain would have little impact on travel, the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda (Mitma) estimates that the six-day work stoppage will affect 2,649 flights and 440,000 passengers at 10 Spanish airports, just as the summer season is properly kicking off.

 

Flight attendants are expected to walk out on June 24, 25, 26 and 30, as well as on July 1 and 2, at Ryanair’s 10 Spanish bases – Madrid, Malaga, Seville, Alicante, Valencia, Barcelona, Girona, Santiago de Compostela, Ibiza and Palma de Mallorca.

 

The timing couldn’t be worse for tourism in Spain, which is banking on recovering pre-pandemic passenger figures this year, as the beginning of the industrial action coincides with the first weekend of the summer holiday period, when a larger than normal number of travellers are expected to descend on Spanish soil.

 

In addition, easyJet cabin crew in Spain are also planning to strike at the beginning of July over wage disputes.

 

During the time Ryanair staff are grounded, the airline has scheduled 440 daily operations, offering more than 500,000 seats at its 10 bases in Spain. Around 73,200 passengers will face huge flight disruptions each day.

 

In an effort to reduce the chaos expected with the work stoppages while ensuring the right to strike of the staff, Mitma has informed Ryanair, Aena, Enaire and the unions USO-STA that a minimum level of “essential” services – between 76% and 82% - will have to be ensured for the duration of the industrial action.

 

Ryanair serves the highest number of passengers in the Spanish market, operating more than 650 routes from Spain last year. According to information supplied by the airline itself, around 1,900 staff work as cabin crew in Spain.

 

 

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