EasyJet Cabin Crew in Spain must follow new collective agreement terms

The Directorate General of Labor has officially registered and published the III Collective Agreement for cabin crew members of EasyJet Airline Spain, Branch in Spain (BOE-A-2026-18028). This legal resolution formalizes the labor framework negotiated between the company and the trade unions USO (Unión Sindical Obrera) and SITCPLA (Sindicato Independiente de Tripulantes de Cabina de Pasajeros de Líneas Aéreas), governing the working conditions for flight attendants operating under the EasyJet brand in Spanish territory.

What changes

This resolution formalizes the specific labor regulations that will govern the relationship between EasyJet Airline Spain and its cabin crew staff. While the full technical details of every clause are contained within the agreement text, the legal registration establishes several critical operational parameters:

• Defined Validity Period: According to Article 3.a, the agreement is valid for a period of three years and six months, starting from March 1, 2025, and concluding on August 31, 2028. This provides a medium-term period of legal certainty regarding wages, shifts, and working conditions.
• Tacit Renewal Mechanism: Article 3.b introduces a stability clause. If neither the company nor the unions issue an express denunciation of the agreement at least two months before its expiration, the agreement will be automatically extended for successive 12-month periods.
• Continuity During Negotiations: Article 3.c ensures that if the agreement is denounced while a new one is being negotiated, the current terms remain in force until the successor is successfully implemented, preventing a legal vacuum in labor relations.
• Functional Scope: Article 2 clarifies that only personnel holding the necessary certificates and authorizations may perform cabin crew duties, strictly linking professional qualifications to the legal protections and obligations of this Collective Agreement (Convenio Colectivo) in Spain.

Context

In the Spanish labor law system, a Collective Agreement (Convenio Colectivo) in Spain serves as the primary regulatory instrument for specific professional sectors or individual companies. For large-scale aviation entities like EasyJet, these agreements are essential to adapt general labor laws—such as the Workers' Statute (Estatuto de los Trabajadores)—to the highly specialized and dynamic requirements of the aeronautical industry.

This specific agreement is classified as a "sectoral-style" agreement for a specific company (convenio de empresa/franja), as per Article 84.2 of the Workers' Statute. It sits within the broader framework of Spanish labor regulations, specifically complying with Royal Decree 713/2010 regarding the registration and deposit of collective agreements. By registering this III Agreement, the Directorate General of Labor ensures that the negotiated terms are legally binding and enforceable against both the employer and the employees represented by the unions.

Who is affected and how

The impact of this resolution is highly specific and does not affect the general public or other sectors of the airline industry. The affected parties are clearly defined in Article 2 of the agreement:

Large Companies (EasyJet Airline Spain)

As the employer, EasyJet Airline Spain, Branch in Spain, is legally bound to apply the terms of this agreement to its payroll, scheduling, and labor management. The company must ensure that all cabin crew members are treated according to the standards set in this III Agreement. Failure to comply could lead to labor inspections and sanctions under Spanish labor law. The company's predominant activity, passenger transport, is the functional scope that justifies this specific regulatory framework.

Cabin Crew (TCP) contracted in Spain

The primary beneficiaries and subjects of this regulation are the Cabin Crew members (Tripulantes de Cabina de Pasajeros) hired in Spain to work for EasyJet. For these professionals, the agreement provides:

• Legal Certainty: Clear knowledge of their working conditions until August 2028.
• Professional Standards: Recognition of the mandatory requirement for specific certifications to exercise their functions (Art. 2).
• Stability: Protection against sudden changes in working conditions through the tacit renewal and negotiation continuity clauses (Art. 3).

Trade Unions (USO and SITCPLA)

The unions act as the legal representatives of the workers. Their role is to monitor the implementation of the agreement and to lead the negotiation of any future successor to this agreement. They hold the power to trigger the denunciation process required to end the agreement or to initiate the tacit renewal process.

What to do and when

For the parties involved, the following timeline and actions are relevant based on the provisions of BOE-A-2026-18028:

• Current Status: The agreement is currently in force (retroactive to March 1, 2025) and remains the governing document for EasyJet cabin crew in Spain.
• Monitoring Period (2025-2028): Both the company and the unions must ensure all internal policies, contracts, and payroll systems align with the III Agreement.
• Decision Window (June 2028): If any party wishes to prevent the automatic 12-month extension, they must issue a formal, written, and verifiable denunciation no later than two months before August 31, 2028 (Article 3.b).
• Negotiation Phase: If a new agreement is sought, negotiations should ideally begin well before the expiration date to avoid the automatic extension or the need to rely on the continuity clause in Article 3.c.

Given the complexity of labor relations in the aviation sector, we recommend that affected companies or workers consult with the specialized labor area at BMC to evaluate specific individual circumstances or compliance requirements.