Portuguese ground-handling staff ended a four-day Strike at dawn, but travelers hoping for relief should brace for a bumpy August. The SIMA and ST unions have filed notices for four more weekend walkouts, covering peak summer dates and threatening renewed flight cancellations, delayed baggage, and cargo snarl-ups at Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Madeira, and the Azores. Airlines are revising schedules, while the arbitration court has ordered minimum services that still fall short of normal staffing. Travelers holding tickets in August must monitor flight apps, consider cabin-only bags, and allow generous connection buffers. Today's calm is merely a pause.
Key Points
- Why it matters: Four August strikes hit Portugal's busiest travel weeks.
- July 25-28 action canceled about 60 flights and held baggage on hundreds more.
- Lisbon handled roughly 70 percent of disruption; night shifts saw the worst staff gaps.
- Arbitration court set minimum services, but unions vow "no talks" until wage deal improves.
- Travelers should plan three-plus hour buffers and keep EU 261 receipts.
Snapshot
The opening Strike trimmed Portugal's flight schedule by roughly 6 percent and forced airlines to load aircraft without checked bags to keep slots. Cargo haulers reported lines of more than 40 trucks awaiting clearance at Lisbon's freight terminal. Domestic connections to Madeira and the Azores ran with high load factors but frequent late departures, frustrating travelers relying on onward ferry and Cruise links. Low-cost carriers diverted some aircraft to Seville and Vigo, straining rail options back to Portugal. Most disruptions cleared within 24 hours after the walkout ended, yet airlines remain wary of crew-duty limits in August.
Background
Ground-handling company SPdH / Menzies employs about 3 500 workers nationwide, two-thirds at Humberto Delgado Airport. Unions argue that base wages sit barely above Portugal's legal minimum despite night, weekend, and hazardous-cargo duties. A 2026 wage-progression pact signed in 2023 has stalled, according to union negotiators, prompting the current Strike wave. The arbitration court imposed minimum services-one handler per pier at large airports and skeleton ramp teams at Madeira and Ponta Delgada-but airlines say that still leaves them up to 50 percent short of normal manpower. Talks between SIMA, ST, and Menzies remain frozen.
Latest Developments
August Walkout Schedule Confirmed
SIMA's formal notices lock in four consecutive Friday-to-Monday stoppages: August 8-11, 15-18, 22-25, and August 29 through September 1. Each begins at 0000 Friday and ends 0000 Tuesday, spanning Portugal's busiest holiday weekends. TAP Air Portugal has warned of "inevitable" cancellations and encouraged passengers to rebook free of charge within a 15-day window. Low-cost rivals have added 5 percent extra capacity at Porto and Faro to absorb spillover, but airport slots remain scarce. The government has urged both sides to resume mediation, yet union spokespeople insist no talks will occur before updated wage tables are proposed.
Analysis
August's strikes threaten compound disruption. Passenger volumes will crest near two million per week across Portugal's network, leaving little slack if handlers walk off. Unlike July's single four-day protest, the successive August weekends will fragment recovery, as backlogs from one stoppage could merge with the next. Airlines may shift wide-body departures to early weekdays, compressing leisure schedules and boosting midweek fares. Cargo operators face potential rerouting via Madrid or Paris, raising logistics costs and carbon output. Travelers with Cruise or Festival itineraries must guard against missed embarkations and nonrefundable bookings. EU 261 allows compensation for cancellations within 14 days, but airlines can claim exemption under "extraordinary circumstances" if strikes are outside their control. Documentation and prompt claims will matter. Bargaining leverage seems to favor unions during the peak season; management may have to improve wage offers to avoid reputational damage.
Final Thoughts
Portugal's July Strike offered a preview of August's turbulence. Travelers who pack light, arrive early, and stay flexible will navigate the walkouts with fewer headaches. For now, the smart move is to monitor airline alerts and brace for four crowded, strike-shadowed weekends at Lisbon and beyond, as the Portugal airport strike saga continues.