Air Travel plans for Portugal are set for turbulence this summer. Workers at SPdH / Menzies Aviation-the country's dominant ground-handling provider-will walk out from 12 a.m. Friday to 11:59 p.m. Monday every weekend in August at Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Funchal, and Azores airports. Travelers should brace for long baggage waits, ad-hoc check-in desk closures, and some flight cancellations, particularly on Saturday afternoons. The Strike is part of a wage-and-conditions dispute that stalled in July, prompting unions SIMA and ST to escalate pressure.
Key Points
- Why it matters: Ground handlers move every bag and marshal every aircraft. Disruption ripples across the network.
- Travel impact: Expect baggage delays, missed connections, and Saturday cancellations; pack carry-on essentials.
- What's next: Unions warn of further action if talks fail; contingency plans hinge on minimum-service rulings.
- Negotiations remain frozen after July walk-outs.
- Strike covers mainland and island airports, widening risk zone.
Snapshot
Four consecutive Friday-to-Monday stoppages-August 8-11, 15-18, 22-25, and 29 August-1 September-overlap with Portugal's late-summer tourism surge. SPdH controls roughly two-thirds of the nation's ramp and baggage work, so even airlines with in-house teams will feel knock-on effects. Safety-critical flights must be handled under an arbitration ruling, yet regular passenger services will lose staff for check-in, loading, and cargo. Passengers should check in online, arrive at least three hours early, and keep medicine, valuables, and a day's clothing in cabin bags.
Background
SPdH, once Groundforce Portugal, was acquired by Menzies Aviation in 2023, inheriting wage accords that unions say were never honored. SIMA claims some full-time salaries still trail the national minimum wage; overtime, night-shift premiums, and staff parking perks are also disputed. Talks collapsed in June, and a first four-day Strike ran 25-28 July, cancelling at least 18 flights at Lisbon and delaying cargo transfers. Portuguese airport operator ANA and the tourism ministry have urged both sides to reach a deal before the August peak.
Latest Developments
Strike Schedule and Airports Affected
The formal Strike notice details four extended-weekend stoppages beginning at 0000 Friday and ending 2359 Monday. All SPdH stations are covered: Lisbon Humberto Delgado (LIS), Porto Francisco Sá Carneiro (OPO), Faro (FAO), Madeira Cristiano Ronaldo (FNC), Porto Santo (PXO), and the Azores gateways of Ponta Delgada and Terceira. TAP Air Portugal, EasyJet, Ryanair, and Azores Airlines rely on SPdH for ramp and baggage work at their mainland hubs, heightening the risk of network-wide delays. The arbitration court has mandated minimum service for emergency, military, and essential inter-island flights, but routine holiday traffic does not qualify.
Minimum-Service Ruling Leaves Gaps
The July 21 tribunal decision compels unions to staff medical diversions, state flights, and TAP night-stop returns, yet allows other services to cease entirely. Airlines have drafted contingency plans, including subcontracting Portway teams, but capacity is thin. Lisbon's baggage hall processed 870 tons of luggage per day in summer 2024; even a 20 percent labor shortfall inflated carousel waits to two hours. Similar or worse delays are expected this year unless a last-minute settlement materializes. Tour operators have begun warning guests to travel carry-on-only where possible.
Analysis
Portugal's ground-handling labor model has long been fragile: multiple operators compete on razor-thin margins while airports outsource essential functions. SPdH's 65 percent market share gives the unions unusual leverage; when its staff walk, much of the country's aviation stops. The August timing is calculated: inbound tourism peaks during the Feast of the Assumption (August 15) and the final summer getaway weekends. Lost throughput could cost airlines millions in EU 261 compensation and rerouting expenses. From the traveler's standpoint, risk management is straightforward-carry-on packing, online check-in, and flexible ticketing-but the broader industry lesson is strategic. As Europe's air-travel rebound strains staffing, unresolved 2020-2022 pay freezes are pushing frontline workers toward militancy. Unless operators agree on sustainable wage structures, episodic strikes may become a standing summer hazard across the continent.
Final Thoughts
With four long weekends of walk-outs looming, U.S. travelers heading to Portugal should plan for disruption rather than hope for a quick settlement. Keep essentials in cabin bags, schedule extra connection time, and monitor airline alerts daily. Unless talks restart, the Portugal airport ground handling Strike will shape-if not shake-late-summer travel.