Lorraine Williamson
Passengers flying with EasyJet this week face serious disruption, as Spanish-based cabin crew plan a three-day walkout over pay and working conditions. The strike—scheduled for 25, 26, and 27 June—affects staff stationed at four major airports: Barcelona, Alicante, Málaga, and Palma de Mallorca.
The walkout, organised by the Unión Sindical Obrera (USO), will involve over 650 employees and impact 21 aircraft permanently based in Spain. It’s the latest flashpoint in ongoing tensions between Spanish crew members and the low-cost airline over what the union calls “deep wage inequality.”
‘Same company, same job—but paid far less’
At the heart of the dispute is pay disparity. Spanish cabin crew reportedly earn between 30% and 200% less than their counterparts in other European countries where easyJet operates. And as the cost of living in Spain continues to climb—now aligning with the European average—the union says wages have remained stuck around minimum levels.
“It’s unjust,” said Pier Luigi Copello, USO’s general secretary for easyJet Spain. “We’re doing the same job, living with the same costs, but earning far less. Our staff want what any worker in Europe expects: fairness.”
This is not the first time easyJet Spain’s workforce has raised concerns. But talks over a new collective bargaining agreement—meant to replace the current outdated terms—have repeatedly stalled.
Failed mediation deepens crisis
In an attempt to avoid disruption, Spain’s national labour mediation agency, SIMA (Servicio Interconfederal de Mediación y Arbitraje), held a meeting with both sides on 18 June. However, the negotiations collapsed without agreement, leaving the strike firmly on the calendar.
This industrial action marks another blow to Spain’s aviation sector, already under strain during the busy summer holiday period.
EasyJet scrambles to avoid chaos
The airline insists it is working hard to minimise passenger disruption. “We’re assessing options to deploy staff and aircraft from other parts of our network,” a spokesperson said.
Nonetheless, delays and cancellations are expected at the following airports:
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Málaga-Costa del Sol (AGP)
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Alicante-Elche (ALC)
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Palma de Mallorca (PMI)
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Barcelona-El Prat (BCN)
EasyJet has yet to release a confirmed list of cancelled services, but passengers with flights booked during the affected dates are advised to monitor updates closely and prepare for possible travel changes.
Growing discontent in the skies
This dispute shines a light on a broader issue in Europe’s budget airline sector—where pay gaps between countries can be vast, despite the companies branding themselves as pan-European. With summer tourism booming and demand soaring, staff shortages and wage stagnation are driving more workers to take action.
Whether EasyJet and USO can reach a resolution before the strike dates remains to be seen. Until then, passengers flying to or from Spain at the end of this month are urged to check flight status regularly and consider alternative plans.
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