Strike at Son Sant Joan Airport: Three Peak Periods, Major Chaos – What Travelers and Mallorca Need to Know

Strike alert at Son Sant Joan: Why the coming days will not be normal

From August 15, 2025, noticeable disruptions are possible at Palma de Mallorca Airport (Son Sant Joan). Ground handling employees of Azul Handling — important for many Ryanair routes — have announced work stoppages: not round the clock, but concentrated in three critical time windows (5:00–9:00, 12:00–15:00 and 21:00–24:00). From August 16, time-limited actions by the Menzies workforce will be added, which serves EasyJet and other international airlines. The unions speak of further weekend actions in the days that follow.

Key question: How resilient is Palma as a tourism hub when ground logistics falter?

At first glance it means disrupted check-ins, delayed luggage and longer queues. But behind this is a bigger problem: Son Sant Joan is the hub for guests, feeder flights and transfers during the summer months. If handling slows down during several peak periods, there are direct consequences for taxi queues, bus connections, hotel check-ins and even ferry departures — in short: the island's logistics are not isolated, they are interconnected.

What it feels like on site

Early hours at the terminal: the beeping of conveyor belts, announcements in three languages, the smell of freshly brewed coffee and croissants. But also the extended line at the counter, annoyed families with children and the monotonous waiting at gate announcements. I was on site one of the affected mornings at 6:30 a.m.: the mood was calm but tense — staff advised online check-in and patience. For many locals this means longer taxi queues on Avenida Joan Miró, crowded buses towards Palma and sometimes delayed hotel room availability.

What has so far been missing in the public debate

It is not only about individual flights. Little discussed are the economic side effects for the island: losses for small hotels, caterers and taxi drivers on days with disruptions; additional pressure on seasonal workers; and the risk that stressed guests may choose alternative destinations in the short term. Also largely undebated is whether airlines maintain enough staff on site or rely on external service providers.

Concrete recommendations for travelers

Before departure: Check your flight status immediately before leaving your accommodation and enable push notifications from the airline.

Arrive early at the airport: Plan two to three hours before departure — especially during the mentioned peak periods.

Stay flexible: Consider alternative flights, rebookings or even traveling via a mainland airport plus ferry.

Document everything: Keep delay or cancellation notifications, boarding passes and receipts in case you need to claim compensation or reimbursement later.

What authorities, airlines and service providers could do

In the short term, a central, publicly accessible situation report from Son Sant Joan would be helpful — a dashboard with real-time information on check-in capacity, baggage processing times and gate status. Airlines should strengthen contingency plans: additional ground staff during peak times, temporary prioritization of connecting flights and clearly communicated rebooking rules. For the island's medium-term stability, a coordinated strategy would make sense: mandatory minimum staffing in peak times, better arbitration mechanisms between companies and unions and investments in automated handling solutions that reduce personnel-dependent bottlenecks.

What travelers and Mallorcans can expect now — and what not

Delays, occasional rebookings and isolated cancellations are to be expected — especially on Ryanair and EasyJet services during the announced time windows. Package tours and connecting services should be checked by the respective tour operators; individual compensation depends on flight law, the extent and duration of the delay. Authorities advise staying calm and provide punctual information about disruptions, but a unified hotline or consolidated information source is still missing.

A look ahead: opportunities as well as problems

Yes, strikes are annoying. But they also provide an impetus to modernize handling logistics in Palma — for the benefit of guests and the local economy. If authorities, airlines and ground agents cooperate now, Son Sant Joan can become more resilient: fewer improvised queues, faster baggage throughput and clearer communication channels. That would be a gain for the island's economy, less stress for travelers and more sustainable working conditions for the local airport workforce.

I will keep monitoring whether the announced actions extend beyond the stated days. If you are affected: write to me with your experiences — the soundscape at airport terminals often tells more than official press releases.