Santiago-Rosalía de Castro Airport in northern Spain will be closed from April 23 to May 27, 2026 for runway resurfacing works, according to airport operator Aena. During this period, the airport will be completely off-limits to all air traffic, with no take-offs or landings permitted. The closure is expected to affect hundreds of flights during the May half-term holiday, though the exact number of impacted flights has not been specified.
The airport is the busiest in Galicia and the second-busiest across northern Spain, serving airlines such as British Airways, Ryanair, and Vueling. Its closure during a key travel window adds to existing operational challenges in the region. Airlines have not detailed specific measures to mitigate disruptions from this closure, leaving passengers uncertain about alternative arrangements.
Simultaneously, ground staff at 12 major Spanish airports, including Barcelona, Madrid, Alicante, Palma, Ibiza, Malaga, and the Canary Islands, have been on strike since March 30. The strike involves workers from Groundforce and Menzies over an unresolved pay disagreement, with the current status of negotiations remaining unclear. According to Aena, partial work stoppages occur on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays during three time slots: 5-7am, 11am-5pm, and 10pm-midnight. The number of passengers impacted by these strikes has not been confirmed, further complicating travel plans.
You can forget about your summer holidays. That is the stark warning issued to some air passengers hoping to fly abroad this year. With the war in Iran doubling the price of jet fuel, airlin
In response to these disruptions, Airlines UK, representing British Airways, easyJet, Jet2, Loganair, Ryanair, TUI, UPS, and Virgin Atlantic, has issued a warning to ministers regarding summer holidays. According to Daily Mirror - Main, Good Morning host Susanna Reid characterized the situation as one where passengers can forget their holidays, highlighting the severity of the airline's message. This warning underscores the potential for widespread holiday disruptions if issues are not addressed promptly.
Airlines UK's letter urges the government to overhaul rules to bring down passenger duty, permit more night flights, and scrap compensation for cancelled or delayed flights. These demands aim to reduce operational burdens on airlines facing multiple challenges. It is unknown what specific government actions are being considered in response to these demands, leaving the industry in a state of uncertainty.
An external factor exacerbating airline challenges is the war in Iran, which has doubled the price of jet fuel, according to industry reports. This cost increase adds financial pressure on airlines already grappling with operational disruptions from the airport closure and strikes. The combined effect of these factors threatens to disrupt summer travel significantly, with airlines calling for urgent government intervention to mitigate the impact on passengers.