Baggage delays and cancellations reported in Madrid, Barcelona and Bilbao as unions cite contract compliance; Italy plans April 10 air transport walkout
Ground handling workers at Groundforce are striking across 12 Spanish airports, disrupting baggage operations and prompting cancellations. Disruptions are concentrated in Madrid, Barcelona and Bilbao, with union reports of more than 40 flights departing without luggage and eight cancellations in Barcelona. UGT representatives in the Canary Islands say the company has opened disciplinary proceedings against some workers, while Comisiones Obreras (CCOO) cites congestion in baggage sorting areas. Groundforce, part of the Globalia group, services airports including Madrid, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Alicante, Málaga, Gran Canaria, Valencia, Ibiza, Bilbao, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, and manages air cargo in Zaragoza.
In European aviation, a national air transport strike is scheduled in Italy on April 10 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., expected to affect airports in Rome, Milan and Naples. The action will involve personnel from ENAV and Technology Sky, with advisories indicating potential delays and cancellations and possible spillover disruptions beyond the strike window. Together, the Spanish strike and Italy’s planned stoppage highlight concurrent disruptions and planned actions affecting aviation services in Southern Europe.