European Christmas travel faces widespread disruption as strikes hit UK, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and France from December 19 to 29, affecting airports, ground staff, cabin crew, and baggage handling.

Traveller guidance emphasizes checking flight status regularly, arriving three hours early, knowing passenger rights and compensation, and keeping flexible plans.

Azul Handling staff, who run Ryanair’s ground operations in Spain, are continuing periodic walkouts over pay, bonuses, and job security through New Year’s Eve, with patterns of non-work on certain weekdays and time slots.

Alternative travel options such as trains, buses, self-driving, and considering regional airports are recommended to mitigate disruptions.

Each country offers tailored advisories on staying informed, early airport arrival, understanding EU passenger rights, and backup plans to navigate strike-related chaos.

Airlines and unions urge agreements and promise contingency measures to minimize disruptions, while passengers should expect changes to check-in, baggage handling, and flight schedules.

The strikes center on pay, working conditions, and cost-of-living pressures, with unions accusing management of exploiting staff goodwill and warning of travel chaos.

France logged over 100 million international visitors in 2024, with 71 billion euros in tourism receipts, making the holiday season particularly vulnerable to disruptions.

Spain set a record in 2024 with 94 million visitors and 126 billion euros in receipts, but current travel chaos could affect holiday tourism, both inbound and outbound.

Italy exceeded 64 million international visitors in 2024, earning 47 billion euros, though Christmas disruptions threaten tourism performance.