Travellers heading to Portugal in the coming months face the prospect of repeated disruption as airport ground-handling staff announce a new wave of strikes stretching from early September until the start of 2026. The action, led by the Metallurgical and Related Industries Union (SIMA), will affect every major airport in the country, including Lisbon, Porto and Faro, as well as island hubs in Madeira and the Azores.
The strikes are directed at Menzies Aviation, formerly known as Groundforce, which employs around 3,500 ground-handling workers across Portugal. These employees are responsible for critical operations such as baggage handling, aircraft servicing and check-in support. Without them, airport activity slows dramatically, with knock-on effects for passengers, airlines and tourism operators alike.
A pattern of disruption
The new strike notice, filed in mid-August, sets out a carefully designed calendar intended to maximise impact during peak travel periods. The first walkout will run from midnight on 3 September until midnight on 9 September. From then, strikes are planned almost every weekend through to 15 December, with dates generally covering Fridays to Mondays.
The industrial action will resume at the busiest time of year for Portugal’s tourism industry: Christmas and New Year. A final strike period has been announced for 19 December through to 2 January 2026, a window during which airports typically handle record passenger volumes.
This follows earlier strikes in July and August that caused delays at Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Madeira, Porto Santo and the Azores, as reported by Travel Tomorrow.
Read our latest travel advice for #Portugal, with new information on industrial action affecting Portuguese airports: https://t.co/4CPLvBNkMf pic.twitter.com/VKmNLbvpkh
— FCDO Travel Advice (@FCDOtravelGovUK) July 25, 2025
Union demands
SIMA insists that the strikes are the result of long-standing grievances that Menzies has failed to address. The union’s demands include:
- Ending base salaries that fall below Portugal’s national minimum wage of €870 per month.
- Ensuring proper payment for night shifts.
- Guaranteeing worker benefits such as access to airport parking.
- Honouring agreements previously signed between the company and staff representatives.
In a letter to its members, SIMA accused Menzies of showing “some willingness to dialogue, but without concretising anything.” The union said it could not “accept the perpetuation” of such conditions and therefore had no choice but to escalate its action.
Employer response
Menzies has so far denied that any new agreement has been reached, despite previous strike cancellations in August after meetings with the Ministry of Labour. The company has maintained that its commitments through 2029 remain firm and unchanged, but it has not responded publicly to the specific salary and benefits claims raised by SIMA.
The union has sought to reassure travellers that essential services, such as those linked to safety and maintenance, will continue during strike periods. However, with only the minimum necessary staff in place, the expectation is that delays, cancellations and missed connections could be widespread.
Broader context
The strikes come at a time when Portugal’s tourism sector is already under pressure. This summer saw a series of protests against overtourism in Lisbon, Porto and coastal hotspots such as the Algarve. Residents and activists have raised concerns about housing shortages, strained infrastructure and rising costs of living linked to mass tourism.
For passengers, the impact is twofold: travel uncertainty due to industrial action, and the broader sense of unease around the future of tourism in Portugal. Airlines, tour operators and hotels will also feel the strain, with lost revenue and reputational damage likely if strikes proceed as planned.
@metropolesoficial Dezenas de #manifestantes marcharam pelos bairros históricos de #Lisboa no domingo, denunciando os impactos "devastadores" do #turismo de massa na #habitação, na #cultura e no #custodevida. Imagens capturaram manifestantes colando adesivos com os dizeres "O turismo excessivo mata a experiência" e segurando cartazes com slogans como "Faça amor, não turismo". Os manifestantes argumentaram que estão sendo expulsos de sua própria cidade devido à proliferação de aluguéis de curta temporada e ao aumento dos custos.Os manifestantes acusam grandes proprietários corporativos e investidores imobiliários internacionais de converter prédios inteiros em aluguéis turísticos de curta temporada, como o Airbnb, “expulsando” os moradores locais. Moradores afirmam que mais de 20.000 casas estão agora presas à economia do turismo e 'indisponíveis' para aluguel por moradores locais e descrevem a situação da moradia em Lisboa dizendo: “Não é difícil, é impossível, especialmente para quem trabalha na indústria do turismo”. Organizada pela rede SET (Rede do Sul da Europa Contra a Turistificação), a manifestação em Lisboa fez parte de ações coordenadas em cidades como Palma, Granada e Nápoles. #tiktoknotícias ♬ som original – Metrópoles Oficial
Advice for travellers
Travellers booked to fly to or from Portugal between September and early January are strongly advised to monitor airline communications closely. Strikes will begin at midnight on the announced dates, meaning flights scheduled early in the morning may be the first to face disruption.
The safest approach is to:
- Check flight status regularly from 24 hours before departure.
- Allow extra time at the airport, as check-in and baggage handling may be slower than usual.
- Consider travelling with hand luggage only, if possible, to avoid baggage delays.
- Keep all travel documents, boarding passes and essential items accessible in case of long waits.
Tour operators have warned that re-routing may be challenging, particularly during holiday periods when flights are near capacity. Passengers with connecting flights outside Portugal should be prepared for potential missed connections.
@dyanecrutcher #lisbon right now #travel #cue #lisbonairport #summer #fyp #viral ♬ Jet2Holidays Bouyon Riddim – Xavvoknockin
Will strikes disrupt Christmas travel?
The strike campaign, if it goes ahead as planned, will represent one of the longest sustained periods of industrial action in the history of Portuguese aviation. With dates stretching across four months, including the critical Christmas travel season, the potential disruption could extend well beyond Portugal, affecting European and intercontinental connections.
SIMA has emphasised that it remains open to dialogue and hopes that Menzies will provide “concrete” responses before the strike dates take effect. For now, though, the notice stands, and Europe’s travellers must prepare for a turbulent end to 2025 in one of the continent’s most popular holiday destinations.
