EasyJet flight attendants who are members of the USO Unión Sindical Obrera union will walk out later this month, impacting Barcelona, Alicante, Malaga and Palma airports
EasyJet workers will walk out en masse from airports across Spain this summer.
On June 25, 26 and 27 hundreds of flight attendants will hit the picket line at airports including Barcelona, Alicante, Malaga and Palma. The strike is being called by USO Unión Sindical Obrera union and could see 657 cabin crew strike, in a move that will impact as many as 21 aircraft.
The union has argued that Spanish easyJet flight attendants are paid too little, claiming that those at Spanish bases are receive between 30% and 200% less in wages than those at other European bases. It is therefore demanding ‘decent, fair and equitable’ working conditions, in line with other countries, Majorca Daily Bulletin reports.
The airline intends to operate normally during the strike days, a spokesperson said, adding the company would do everything possible to minimise the impact. The industrial action is being called amid a deadlock in negotiations, which, according to the union, are in ‘absolute disagreement’.
A spokesperson for the airline told the Mirror: “EasyJet has been advised of strike action by its Spain based cabin crew union at its Barcelona, Malaga, Alicante and Palma bases on 25, 26 and 27 June. We currently plan to operate our full schedule as normal and would like to reassure customers that we will do all possible to minimise the impact of any action.”
The strikes were pencilled in in the weeks after the budget carrier announced it’s set to make a comeback in Newcastle, reopening its base nearly half a decade after its closure during the peak of the Covid crisis. The airline is gearing up to launch operations from Newcastle International Airport come next spring, promising to create 130 new roles for pilots, cabin crew, and engineers.
Back in September 2020, amidst the travel turmoil caused by the pandemic, easyJet shuttered its Newcastle site along with its London Stansted and London Southend bases, affecting roughly 670 staff members. Earlier in the same year, the airline had disclosed intentions to slash its workforce by up to 30% as it battled the fallout from Covid lockdowns and travel curbs.
Kenton Jarvis, the CEO of easyJet, expressed enthusiasm about the expansion: “The UK is an important market for easyJet, and we are excited to be opening yet another UK base, in Newcastle, driven by the demand for our flights and package holidays.”
He added that this move not only reaffirms their status as the UK’s leading leisure airline but also brings skilled job opportunities and essential connectivity to the area, contributing significantly to the UK’s economic growth.
Nick Jones, the chief executive at Newcastle Airport, welcomed the decision: “It is fantastic that easyJet has chosen to open a new base at Newcastle Airport in spring 2026 following such strong demand for flights and package holidays from our passengers.”
Recently, easyJet reported a seasonal headline pre-tax loss of £394 million for the six months up to the end of March. This represents a widening of losses compared to the £350 million reported the previous year. However, the company noted that when accounting for the later timing of Easter this year, the results showed a “slight improvement” of approximately £50 million.
According to Mr Jarvis: “We continue to see strong demand for easyJet’s flights and holidays, as we attract more customers through our great fares, friendly service and unrivalled network of destinations. We are executing well against our strategy, to drive efficiency and enhance our customer experience both in the sky and on the ground.”
The airline industry typically experiences seasonal fluctuations, with winter months often resulting in losses followed by profits during the summer.EasyJet reported carrying 18.2 million passengers in the first quarter of the year, marking an 8% increase compared to the same period last year.