Spain: Indefinite Air Traffic Control Strike at Nine Airports — Lanzarote Delays Pile Up

An indefinite air traffic control strike is disrupting flights at nine Spanish airports, and Lanzarote is among the worst hit in Europe.

The strike has been running since 17 April 2026. It is being carried out by air traffic controllers employed by the private provider Saerco and was called by the unions USCA and CCOO. The dispute is about staffing levels, rest periods and on-call demands — not a pay rise this time, according to USCA’s national spokesperson.

The nine airports affected are Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma, El Hierro, Jerez, A Coruña, Seville, Vigo and Madrid-Cuatro Vientos. A minimum-services order is in force from 1 October to 30 November 2026: in November, 73% of inter-island flights at Lanzarote are protected, along with 53% of mainland and international routes lasting more than five hours. The unions have challenged the minimum-service orders in court.

This is not a shutdown, but the delays are piling up. Eurocontrol counted 2,225 minutes of air-traffic-control strike delay at Lanzarote in the snapshot reported on 6 November — among the worst in Europe that week. Delays escalated from the night of 4 November and were still unresolved on 6–7 November, with no end date in sight.

For passengers, the money side matters. Air traffic control strikes normally count as extraordinary circumstances, so EU261 cash compensation usually does not apply. Even so, the airline still owes a choice of a refund or a replacement flight, plus care — meals and drinks, and a hotel with transfers if needed.

What to do about the air traffic control strike

Check your flight status before you leave for the airport, and arrive early — that is ADAC’s advice. Build in extra time for connections, keep your boarding pass and receipts, and ask the airline about rebooking or a refund if your flight is cancelled or heavily delayed. Before you travel, check your trip against the air traffic control strike dates. The air traffic control strike also overlaps with Spain’s wider strike week — see Spain’s Three Strike Days.

Sources: Eurocontrol delay data reported 6 November 2026; Transport Ministry minimum-services resolution.