Air traffic controllers in Sevilla Airport have warned of a looming strike that could disrupt two of the city’s biggest upcoming events – the Feria de Abril and the Copa del Rey final.
The dispute centres on staffing shortages and working conditions, with unions accusing operator Saerco of pushing workers towards industrial action.
‘Pushing us towards a strike’
According to USCA spokesperson Pablo Gomez Junquera, the situation has reached a critical point.
‘Despite our efforts to reach an agreement – which I stress has nothing to do with economic issues – the company is pushing us to call a strike imminently,’ he said.
Staffing cut as traffic rises
The union claims the tower is operating with just 10 controllers, down from 16 when Saerco took over in 2021.
At the same time, air traffic is expected to rise by nearly 10% as the busy summer season begins.
Controllers also accuse the company of refusing to negotiate and proposing new shift patterns that would reduce daily staffing levels even further.
Both the Feria de Abril – one of Sevilla’s biggest annual events – and the Copa del Rey final are expected to bring a surge in visitors, placing extra pressure on airport operations.
Controllers are responsible not only for commercial flights, but also for managing helicopter movements, including emergency medical flights from Cartuja, as well as wider airspace traffic in and around the city.
If no agreement is reached in the coming days, Sevilla could face travel chaos at the worst possible moment.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
