- Flight Disruptions
- Indefinite SAERCO air traffic control strike to affect 5 Canary Islands airports from 17 April
Indefinite SAERCO air traffic control strike to affect 5 Canary Islands airports from 17 April
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Checked by Matteo Floris
Last updated on 14 April 2026
Disruption overview
An indefinite strike by air traffic controllers employed by SAERCO is set to begin across Spain on 17 April 2026, with the biggest immediate impact expected at five Canary Islands airports: Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma, El Hierro, and La Gomera. Because air traffic control action affects airport capacity for every airline using those airports, passengers could face delays, cancellations, queues, and short-notice schedule changes on international, inter-island, and United Kingdom routes. As this type of strike sits outside an airline's control, compensation under EC 261 is usually unlikely, but airlines should still provide rerouting or refunds and care during long disruptions.
Disruption details
Flights to and from five Canary Islands airports are set to face disruption from 17 April 2026, when air traffic controllers employed by private tower operator SAERCO begin an indefinite strike across Spain. For passengers, this could mean delays, cancellations, and last-minute schedule changes from the first day of the walkout.
Five of the Canary Islands' eight commercial airports are on SAERCO's outsourced tower network and are expected to see the biggest impact:
Lanzarote
Fuerteventura
La Palma
El Hierro
La Gomera
Because the strike affects air traffic control rather than one airline, every carrier using these airports could face knock-on disruption. Flights to, from, and between the islands, as well as busy routes to and from the United Kingdom, could all be caught in the backlog. Reduced tower capacity can also slow arrivals and departures across the day, creating queues and longer waits inside terminals.
The walkout is open-ended, with no end date set, and it will also involve SAERCO-staffed towers at 14 airports nationwide. Unions say the action will continue until there is an agreement on staffing levels and working conditions.
The dispute has been building for years. Controllers point to chronic understaffing, heavy workloads, erratic rostering, on-call duties, canceled leave, and unclear rest periods. They say those conditions have created fatigue and stress, and can affect operational safety. Talks with SAERCO have stalled after planned negotiation sessions were postponed or abandoned.
Neither the Canary Islands government nor Spain's transport ministry has yet issued minimum-service rules or contingency plans. If you're traveling during the strike, it's worth checking your flight status regularly, arriving early, avoiding tight connections, and considering flexible tickets if your plans aren't fixed.
Because this is an air traffic control strike rather than action by airline staff, compensation under EC 261 is usually unlikely. Even so, your airline should still offer a rerouting or refund if your flight is canceled, and provide care and assistance such as food, refreshments, and accommodation when needed. Although compensation is unlikely here, that doesn't mean you're without support. If you want to better understand your rights or check whether anything may still apply, AirHelp's free flight checker is a simple place to start.
Know your rights
These are your air passenger rights
When your flight's disrupted, you may be entitled to various forms of care and compensation under EC 261 and other applicable laws.
Rerouting or refund
If your flight is canceled, your airline must provide an alternative. You may also get a full refund if you no longer wish to travel.
Care and assistance
Your airline must provide food and refreshments if your journey is delayed more than a few hours.
Accommodation
If you are away from home and your journey is delayed overnight, the airline must offer you accommodation and transportation to it.
Communication
Under EC 261 you are entitled to 2 phone calls or emails if your journey is delayed over 1 hour. No compensation when a disruption is caused by extraordinary circumstances, as this appears to be.
This advice is provided to help you if your flight is delayed or canceled. However, the exact care and compensation you are entitled to will depend on your specific circumstances and flight. Always follow the directions of your airline, particularly with regard to check-in and boarding times.
Quick facts
Summary
Disruption
Delays and Cancellations
Cause
Other strike
Status
Future – confirmed disruption
Compensation
Not eligible for compensation
Airports affected
Lanzarote Airport, Fuerteventura Airport, La Palma Airport
Cities affected
Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma, El Hierro, La Gomera, Puerto del Rosario, Santa Cruz De La Palma
Countries affected
Spain
Start date
2026-04-17
Checked by
Matteo Floris
Date updated
14 April 2026
What to do if your flight is delayed, canceled, or overbooked
If you're traveling to, from, or within the European Union, here's what you should do when you experience a disruption.
Gather evidence that your flight was delayed, canceled, or overbooked.
Get the airline to provide written confirmation of the disruption and the reason behind it.
Request an alternative flight to your destination — or a refund if you no longer wish to travel.
Make a note of the arrival time at your final destination.
Ask the airline to provide vouchers for meals and refreshments.
Avoid signing documents or accepting offers that may waive your passenger rights.
If an overnight stay is required, ask the airline to provide accommodation.
Save receipts for any additional expenses caused by the disruption.
