Portugal Ground Handling Strikes Withdrawn, Expect Normal Ops

Published on Nov 11, 2025, 11:59 am CST

4 min read

Key points

SPdH and Menzies unions withdrew planned winter stoppages after Portugal's Arbitration Court ordered minimum services
The order guaranteed 100 percent of flights to mainland and autonomous regions, and 35 percent of other destinations during the strike window
Menzies operates at Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Funchal, and Porto Santo, so nationwide impacts had been possible
With stoppages off the table, travelers should expect normal flight schedules and only residual baggage delays
Airport operators and airlines will clear any remaining backlogs using standard priority and tracing procedures

Impact

Flight Schedules: Operate Normally With Routine Day-Of Variability
Baggage Claims: Allow Extra Time If Bags Are Late, Initiate Tracing At The Airline Desk
Missed Connections: If A Bag Is Delayed, File A PIR Before Leaving The Airport
Peak Periods: Arrive Early At Lisbon, Porto, And Faro During Weekend Banks
Communication: Monitor Airline App Alerts For Carousel Changes Or Delivery Updates

A months-long series of airport ground handling stoppages in Portugal has been taken off the calendar. Unions representing SPdH and Menzies Aviation workers canceled the strike periods that had been scheduled between September 3, 2025, and January 2, 2026, after an Arbitration Court decision imposed minimum services that would have kept most operations running. For travelers, this removes the primary risk of rolling handling outages through the winter. Normal flight schedules should prevail, with the remaining exposure limited to occasional late baggage deliveries as ground teams unwind residual backlogs. Build standard buffers, then fly your plan.

Portugal's minimum service order, what it covered

The Arbitration Court required all ground handling services necessary to support the strike-period operation, including a hard guarantee of "100 percent of services to and from the mainland and autonomous regions, and 35 percent of other destinations." Because the order applied across the declared strike window, unions concluded that conditions for exercising the right to strike were not met and withdrew the action. The decision referenced both the scale of planned stoppages, seventy six days in alternating waves, and their concentration near peak travel periods, including Christmas and New Year.

Which airports were at risk

Menzies Aviation, which absorbed Groundforce Portugal, provides ground handling at five Portuguese airports, namely Lisbon Humberto Delgado, Porto Francisco Sá Carneiro, Faro Gago Coutinho, Cristiano Ronaldo Madeira, and Porto Santo. That footprint spans Portugal's primary mainland gateways and Madeira's island airports, so the prospective strike could have affected a large share of international and domestic traffic even if airlines kept schedules intact. With the unions' withdrawal, those airports should operate to published timetables.

Latest developments

Unions SIMA and STA announced on September 17 to 19 that they were canceling the extended strike plan following the minimum services ruling. Separate reporting noted that while stoppages were canceled, labor groups would continue to pursue claims through other channels. There have been no fresh strike notices for winter periods since that cancellation, and current airport operations reflect normal staffing and handling levels.

How it works, minimum services in practice

In Portugal, when essential services are affected by a strike call, a tripartite arbitration panel can set minimum service thresholds. For airport handling, that can include specific percentages by route category, for example domestic and autonomous regions at 100 percent, and international at a defined floor. Once those thresholds are in place, ground handling providers roster enough staff, often through adjusted shifts and standby teams, to meet the required coverage. If the remaining gap leaves little room for meaningful industrial action, unions may withdraw a strike on proportionality grounds. That is what happened here.

Traveler playbook for residual baggage delays

If a checked bag does not appear within 30 minutes of block-in, proceed to your airline's service desk in the arrivals hall and file a Property Irregularity Report, PIR, before you exit customs. Keep your boarding pass and bag tag. Ask for a delivery commitment window and a contact channel, app push, SMS, or email. If you are connecting same day within Portugal or to the islands, verify that the bag is tagged to destination and, if needed, request a short-connection expedite. Most late bags in the wake of industrial actions arrive on the next available flight and are couriered to your lodging. For essential items, check whether your fare family or credit card provides delayed baggage allowances, then keep receipts for reasonable purchases. If you are departing Portugal and you traveled with a delayed bag in the prior 72 hours, arrive early and consider packing critical items in carry-on to avoid compounding delays. These are standard best practices rather than strike-specific steps, and they apply until handling teams are fully caught up.

Final thoughts

With the winter strike plan withdrawn, Portugal's airport handling returns to a steady, predictable footing. The minimum services ruling removed the main driver of uncertainty, and Menzies locations across Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Funchal, and Porto Santo are operating normally. Expect on-time departures, plan for routine variability at peaks, and treat any sporadic baggage hold-ups as a short-term operational afterglow rather than a systemic issue.