Passenger control staff at Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport launched an indefinite, full-time strike that has led to long security queues, delayed and cancelled flights and travel warnings for passengers bound for Spain.
Unions said the walkout is linked to a dispute with the private company that operates security lanes and described working conditions as intolerable, arguing the amount of work at Madrid-Barajas far exceeds that at other Spanish airports. Around 800 staff are employed in the affected roles, union representatives said.
State-owned airport authority AENA said on X that "due to the strike called by Trablisa security staff at Madrid-Barajas Airport, security check times may be longer than usual" and apologised for the inconvenience. Airlines and travel operators warned passengers to arrive at the airport earlier than usual to avoid missing flights.
Passengers posted images and accounts on social media showing what they described as kilometre-long queues and waits of more than an hour and a half to get through security. One user on X wrote, "Made it through Madrid airport...Chaos today as security employees decided to strike," while another reported a three-block queue at the entry to Terminal 4.
Airport sources and union statements said the dispute centres on staffing levels and the distribution of workloads after the private contractor, identified by AENA as Trablisa, took over operations of security lanes at the hub. Unions said the level of inspection and passenger handling required at Madrid-Barajas is significantly higher than at smaller airports, placing sustained pressure on staff.
Madrid-Barajas is Spain's busiest airport and a major European hub, handling tens of millions of passengers annually and serving as a key connection point for international and domestic flights. The strike has therefore had immediate ripple effects on schedules, with airlines reporting delays and some cancellations as queues and processing slowdowns affect boarding times.
Airport officials have been coordinating with airlines and ground handlers to reroute resources and open additional screening lanes where possible, but the scale of the walkout and the concentrated passenger flows at peak hours have limited how quickly processing times can be reduced. Several carriers issued advisories to passengers to check flight status and plan for extra time at the terminal.
The industrial action was described by union representatives as "indefinite and full-time," and no immediate resolution or timeline for talks was announced publicly. AENA said it would keep passengers informed of developments and reiterated its apology for disruptions.
The strike highlights ongoing tensions in Spain’s aviation ground-handling sector, where private contractors operate many airport services under commercial agreements. Similar disputes have periodically affected operations at other airports in recent years, leading authorities and industry groups to call for negotiated solutions to avoid recurring disruption.
Passengers scheduled to travel through Madrid-Barajas in the coming days were advised by airlines and the airport authority to monitor their flight status, arrive well in advance of departure times and allow additional time for security screening.
As the strike continues, its immediate impact will be measured in passenger inconvenience and operational delays; any broader effects on airline schedules and connections will depend on the duration of the action and the progress of negotiations between unions and the contractor.