Are flights from Fuerteventura cancelled because of the controllers' strike?

Minimum services are meant to protect most flights, but delays are possible. No figures for cancellations on Fuerteventura for 2026 are available.

Since when have air traffic controllers been on strike on Fuerteventura?

The indefinite strike at Saerco began at 00:00 on 17 April 2026 and has lasted more than 200 days. USCA and CCOO called it.

Until when do the minimum services apply?

The fifth resolution runs from 1 October to 30 November 2026. Whether another will follow is not known.

How many flights are protected in November?

For Fuerteventura, 73% of flights to areas outside the peninsula and on public service obligation routes are protected in November. Mainland routes with no short alternative, and international flights, are protected at 55%.

Can I claim compensation for a delay?

ADAC says the airline must provide care, meals and accommodation. It is not confirmed whether cash compensation applies to this strike.

Why are the controllers on strike?

According to the organisers, the issue is not pay but staffing, rest periods, on-call callouts and holidays. They want Enaire to take over the privatised towers.

Fuerteventura air traffic control strike: 200+ days, delays

How badly does the strike hit flights from Fuerteventura?

Delays at El Matorral airport in Puerto del Rosario are linked to the strike by Saerco controllers. The scale does not match Lanzarote's, but the reports call it significant.

Saerco is the private firm that runs the control tower in Puerto del Rosario. Controllers on Lanzarote, La Palma and El Hierro are not employed by the state operator Enaire either.

Minimum services are meant to protect most flights, but delays remain possible. No figures for cancellations or delay minutes on Fuerteventura this year are available.

According to the reports, Lanzarote is one of only two airfields in Europe with serious delays from local causes. They gave no comparison figure for Fuerteventura.

Which flights do the minimum services protect?

José Antonio Santano Clavero, Secretary of State for Transport and Sustainable Mobility, signed the resolution on 28 September 2026. It runs from 1 October to 30 November 2026 and is the fifth, after those of April, May, June and August.

For Fuerteventura it protects 76% of flights in October and 73% in November to areas outside the peninsula and on public service obligation (OSP) routes. One report headline says 72% for November, but its text says 73%; the resolution itself was not available.

Mainland routes with no alternative under five hours, and flights to foreign cities, are protected at 59% in October and 55% in November. On international flights, then, the rule covers only a little over half in November.

The resolution names 108 staff and nine towers, from Jerez de la Frontera to La Palma. The research did not find the text in the BOE (Spain's state official gazette).

What are the controllers and Saerco fighting about?

The unions USCA and CCOO called the indefinite strike at Saerco, which began at 00:00 on 17 April 2026. According to the organisers, it is not about money.

The unions demand enough staff, legal rest periods and secure holidays. They also want an end to on-call callouts, which they call abusive.

The organisers also want Enaire to take over the privatised towers. That includes Skyway, formerly FerroNATS and now part of Serveo, as well as Saerco.

According to reports, USCA asked the Transport Ministry to strip Saerco of its certification as an air navigation provider and hand the service temporarily to Enaire. The research found no reply from the ministry.

Since July 2025, reports from January 2026 say, Fuerteventura has had ten controllers instead of the usual minimum of 15. The Cabildo (island government) says it has repeatedly asked the ministry for a solution.

What should travellers do before flying?

ADAC advises checking flight status regularly and arriving early at the airport. Protection is thinnest in November, at 55% for mainland routes with no short alternative and for international flights.

According to ADAC, passengers should claim care, meals and accommodation from the airline. ADAC does not mention cash compensation.

The consumer group Facua points to EU Regulation 261/2004: a refund or alternative transport. The consumer group OCU cites additional compensation of up to 600 euros, but it is not confirmed whether a claim exists for this strike.

How long do the minimum services last and what happens next?

The current resolution ends on 30 November 2026. Whether a sixth follows is open.

The strike has no end date. The research found no new talks or date for a meeting.

A similar dispute arose in 2023, then over the fourth collective agreement. Controllers struck on Mondays from 30 January to 27 February 2023; this time, the organisers say, the issue is staffing, not pay.

Lola García, president of the Cabildo de Fuerteventura, asked Transport Minister Óscar Puente in July 2025 to supervise the tower. She demanded a thorough review of the concession.