- Groundforce’s strike at Barcelona-El Prat has caused 6,000 lost bags and 270 flights cancelled during its third week.
- The CGT union says 1,179 workers are protesting safety, staffing, shifts, rest periods and work-life balance.
- Spain’s ministry warns the dispute could affect nearly 2 million passengers if it continues into September.
Groundforce’s indefinite strike at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport had produced 6,000 lost bags and 270 flights cancelled by 18–20 August 2026, as the walkout entered its third week. The stoppage began on 4 August 2026 and was still disrupting passengers during peak summer travel.
The reported baggage total refers to luggage stranded or not delivered to passengers. Some travelers have waited more than five hours at baggage reclaim.
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The action affects both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. It has also disrupted the ground work needed to process passengers and prepare aircraft for departure.
No end date has been announced. The strike remains open-ended.
The CGT union is leading the walkout, which involves about 1,179 workers at El Prat. Groundforce staff perform check-in, boarding, ramp work and baggage operations, linking the dispute to several steps in an airport journey.
Workers say their demands center on occupational health and safety, shift patterns, rest periods, staffing levels and work-life balance. They say the dispute is not about a salary increase, additional days off or extra rights.
“We do not ask for a salary increase, nor more days off, nor more rights. We simply want dignified work.”
Ground staff shortages are disrupting the airport’s core operations
The action has affected around 20 airlines. Baggage queues are the most visible symptom, but the walkout also reaches check-in counters, boarding areas, ramp work and baggage operations.
That range of duties can delay an aircraft even when the flight itself has not been canceled. A missing ground-handling step can hold up bags, passengers or the aircraft’s departure preparation.
Groundforce employs more than 1,100 people at the airport. The affected workforce operates across T1 and T2, where service interruptions have compounded during the summer peak.
Passengers have reported waits of up to five hours for luggage. The disruption has therefore continued after some flights reached Barcelona, leaving travelers waiting at reclaim areas instead of leaving the airport.
Lufthansa, Air Europa and ITA Airways routes are among those hit
Flights connecting Barcelona with German cities on Lufthansa have ranked among the affected services. Air Europa routes to Madrid and Palma have also faced disruption.
ITA Airways services linking Barcelona and Rome were among the routes named in reports. Other affected carriers include Air France, KLM, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Etihad Airways, United Airlines and Finnair.
The list spans domestic, European and long-haul operations. Reports put the overall number of affected airlines at roughly 20.
The disruption has grown as the stoppage continued. Earlier figures described around 170 flights and 3,000 bags as affected, before the later tally reached its current level.
Spain’s minimum-service rules vary by route and month
The Spanish Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility imposed minimum-service levels during the strike. The requirements vary according to route type, distance and the availability of public transport alternatives.
| Route category | August minimum service | September minimum service |
|---|---|---|
| Certain routes | 80% | 77% |
| International and some peninsular routes | 58% | 57% |
| Shorter peninsular routes | 35% | 36% |
The rules preserve part of the scheduled service, but they do not eliminate the possibility of cancellations, delays or baggage disruption. The ministry’s estimates extend beyond the current airport tally.
If the strike continues into September, nearly 2 million passengers and 11,600 flight movements could be affected, according to the ministry’s warning. The projection covers the wider period through September.
Several airlines use different handlers, while United offers a waiver
One report described airlines using different ground handlers as unaffected by the walkout. That group included British Airways, Iberia, Vueling, Level, easyJet and Ryanair.
United Airlines issued a fee-free change waiver for travelers affected by the disruption. The carrier’s measure gives its affected customers a route-specific option for changing plans without a change fee.
The handling arrangements differ by airline. A flight operating from the same airport can therefore face a different level of disruption depending on the company responsible for its ground services.
The baggage and cancellation figures have continued to rise during the walkout’s third week. The earlier total of around 170 flights and 3,000 bags shows how quickly the operational impact expanded during the peak travel season.
The open-ended stoppage has no new talks on the calendar
The strike is described as indefinite, with no end date announced. Reports also said there were no fresh talks scheduled between the union and Groundforce.
The latest accounts described no progress in negotiations. Meanwhile, the transport ministry’s September rules remain the framework for minimum service if the stoppage continues.
The next pressure point is September. That is when the ministry’s forecast reaches nearly 2 million passengers and 11,600 flight movements if the airport dispute remains unresolved.
