Ryanair Ground Staff Strikes to Disrupt Tenerife Flights
Spain’s Ministry of Transport has set minimum service levels for upcoming strikes by Ryanair’s ground handling staff, operated by Azul Handling. The strikes will directly impact Tenerife North and Tenerife South airports, beginning on August 15–17 and continuing every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday until December 31.
Minimum Service Levels by Route
For domestic flights to or from non-mainland territories like the Canary Islands, minimum services will range from 76% to 87% in August, 69% to 86% in September, and 59% to 83% in October. Flights connecting mainland cities with alternative transport times exceeding five hours will operate at 54%–63% capacity, while routes under five hours drop to 27%–40%. Emergency flights remain fully guaranteed.
Wider Airport Impacts
The Azul Handling strikes span over 20 Spanish airports, including Madrid, Barcelona, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura. Separately, UGT has also called a strike by Menzies ground staff, affecting airlines like Emirates, British Airways, EasyJet, and Norwegian. Tenerife South will face disruptions on August 16–17, 23–24, and 30–31, with minimum services of 66%–81% for non-mainland routes.
Essential Flights Protected
The ministry confirms that all critical operations—including air ambulances, organ transport, and civil protection missions—will operate at 100% capacity throughout the strikes.
