Legal victory: early retirement rights for Cabin Crew in Spain

The European Cabin Crew Association -EurECCA- welcomes and strongly supports the historic legal victory achieved by its Spanish member organisation, STAVLA (Sindicato de Tripulantes Auxiliares de Vuelo de Líneas Aéreas), concerning the recognition of early retirement rights for cabin crew in Spain.
This ruling, delivered by the Court of First Instance in Madrid on 25 March 2026, constitutes a decisive breakthrough not only for Spanish cabin crew but for the entire European aviation sector.

For the first time, a judicial authority has explicitly recognised that cabin crew are entitled to benefit from the provisions of Royal Decree 1559/1986, which reduces the retirement age for aircrew engaged in particularly demanding and hazardous working conditions. Historically, this legal framework had been applied exclusively to pilots and technical flight personnel. The court’s decision to extend its application to cabin crew represents a fundamental shift in the legal and social recognition of the profession.