FLASH NEWS
Airport staff strikes paralyze summer travel in Portugal and Spain
2025-08-14 21:30:20 / BOTA
Travelers planning to travel to Portugal this summer should prepare for delays and cancellations, as airport staff across the country are on strike throughout August.
Aircraft servicing, baggage handling and check-in teams will stop working every weekend due to low wages, unpaid night shifts and parking disputes following the takeover of Groundforce operations by British company Menzies Aviation.
Airports in Lisbon, Faro, Porto, as well as those in Madeira, Porto Santo and the Azores are all affected, with disruptions affecting flights during the peak summer season.
Travelers are advised to check flights before departure, while the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCDO) warns of significant delays during collective action.
ANA, the airport manager in Portugal, has warned that several airlines, including state-owned carrier TAP, could be affected.
The planned weekend strikes are: August 15–18, August 22–25, and August 29–September 1.
Strikes have caused chaos at Portugal's busiest airports.
In the first weekend, Lisbon's Humberto Delgado Airport canceled over 70 flights, while in the second wave eight more flights were canceled and many departures were delayed.
The SIMA union and Menzies have had a public spat over working conditions, while the company emphasizes that it is respecting the law and workers' rights.
Beyond Portugal, strikes are also causing disruptions in Spain.
From August 15 to 17, more than 3,000 employees at Azul Handling, part of the Ryanair group, have planned strikes at 12 airports, expected to continue weekly until December.
Summer disruptions are a stark reminder to passengers that travel during peak season can be fraught with unexpected delays and cancellations.
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