The United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) today updated its travel advice for Spain, explicitly warning holidaymakers and business travellers transiting through France to check for potential strikes and road blockades. The notice, issued on 22 September 2026 at 10:15 BST, comes amid a fresh wave of French transport protests over pension reforms scheduled for 23–24 September. While the security rating for Spain remains “normal precautions,” the FCDO points out that most self-drive or coach itineraries from the UK still cross French territory. Disruptions could therefore cascade into missed hotel bookings or onward flights from Spanish airports. Tour operators have already rerouted two overnight services to Barcelona via the Bilbao ferry in anticipation of motorway blockades near Bordeaux. The update also reminds travellers that, although Spain will lift its reciprocal border checks on arrivals from Italy tonight, random spot checks within the Schengen Area “cannot be ruled out.” British passport-holders – now treated as non-EU visitors – are advised to allow extra time for manual stamping until the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) goes live next spring. Corporate mobility managers should circulate the advisory to employees due to attend trade fairs in Madrid and Valencia this week, ensuring flexible tickets and travel insurance that covers ‘force majeure’ transport delays. Companies using group coach movements for seasonal workers in agriculture may need to adjust staging points to avoid French hotspots. The notice underscores the interconnected nature of European mobility: even domestic Spanish operations can be affected by external industrial action, reinforcing the need for regional travel-risk monitoring.
Source: UK FCDO
