Travellers jetting off to Spain for their Easter break might need to prepare for travel chaos when they arrive at their destination. 

The popular holiday spot is set to be hit by industrial action, beginning today, March 30. 

Several major hubs are involved with the strikes, including Barcelona-El Prat Airport, Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport and Palma de Mallorca Airport. 

Other spots set to be impacted are Alicante, Malaga and the Canary Islands, the Express reports. 

The strike action, involving Groundforce workers, is expected to take place in several intervals – from 5am to 7am, 11am to 5pm and 10pm to midnight – all of which are during busy travel periods for the airports. 

More than 3,000 ground handling staff members from Groundforce are set to be involved.

The action could reportedly continue indefinitely and is over ongoing pay disagreements. 

The staggered timings are expected to create long queues, delayed luggage drop offs and boarding issues. 

Travellers may be concerned over their right to a refund or compensation if their flight is impacted by the action. 

Travel insurance expert Alicia Hempsted, from MoneySuperMarket, has urged families to check their policy documents to see whether they are eligible.

If a flight is cancelled or late due to the strikes, holidaymakers may be able to gain some money back, according to Alice. 

The expert explained: ‘Under EU law, you may be entitled to a refund for your flight from the airline, but you may also be able to reclaim other costs, such as accommodation, on your travel insurance.

‘If your flight is delayed, your airline has an obligation to offer you food, drink and accommodation depending on the length of the delay.’

However, travellers can only claim the additional compensation if they are told about the strikes less than 14 days before the flight, Alice added.  

She continued: ‘Strikes are generally considered ‘extraordinary circumstances,’ meaning airlines aren’t usually responsible, unless the disruption is caused by their own staff, such as pilots or airline employees.’

As for whether travel insurance specifically will cover the holidaymaker for any delays or cancellations experienced due to the action, Alice explained how it depends when you booked the break. 

She said: ‘As long as the airline strikes were announced after you booked your trip and your travel insurance, you may be able to claim through your insurer.

‘Always check the terms and conditions of a policy before you buy, as not all travel insurance providers offer cover for airline strikes.

‘If your policy includes travel disruption cover, it might be possible to claim for disruption or losses incurred as a result of your trip being delayed or cancelled.

‘This may include alternative accommodation, or expenses incurred such as travel, food and drink, and can even stretch to covering the full cost of your holiday should you end up not being able to travel.

‘However, it is worth noting that not all policies cover this as standard and cover levels, conditions, and exclusions can vary between providers, making it important to check with your insurer as your first port of call.’

She urged travellers to purchase insurance as soon as they book a trip to ensure they are covered, and check their policy documents carefully.