Ground Crew Standoff as Union Sues TAP and Menzies, Delays Loom

Travellers who thought the summer crowds were the biggest hurdle to a smooth take-off from Lisbon or Porto now have a sudden new variable to calculate: an uneasy standoff between Portugal’s ground-handling crews and the companies that employ them. The dispute could decide whether thousands of flights depart on time over the next five weekends—and, just as significantly, whether one of the country’s oldest labour protections still has teeth.

Storm clouds over the August getaway

For foreigners living in Portugal, August is traditionally the month when visiting family and a quick escape to cooler latitudes coincide. This year, those plans run up against a rolling strike by baggage handlers and ramp agents that began in late July and is set to resume 8-11, 15-18, 22-25 August and the long weekend of 29 August-1 September. Operations at Lisbon, Porto, Faro and the archipelago gateways are all on the list, though a court has ordered minimal cover for emergency flights, island links and TAP night-stops.

The union’s charge sheet

The Sindicato das Indústrias Metalúrgicas e Afins, better known as SIMA, stunned the sector this week by filing criminal complaints against Menzies Aviation—the former Groundforce—and majority shareholder TAP Air Portugal. The documents handed to the Public Prosecutor and to civil-aviation regulator ANAC allege a catalogue of wrongdoing: direct replacement of strikers, unilateral shift changes during a heatwave, suppression of breaks, and even base pay below the national minimum wage. Far more serious in aviation terms is the claim that unqualified staff were deployed on technical tasks, potentially endangering safety on the apron.

What the companies say—and what they are not saying

Menzies insists it merely activated a “contingency plan”, adding that all steps were taken with "total respect for workers’ rights". TAP echoes the line, arguing it is doing everything permissible "to limit the impact on passengers" and that any staff transfers comply with Portuguese law. Neither company would elaborate on the criminal filings; TAP pointed reporters to its obligation to guarantee connectivity for the islands, while Menzies declined to confirm whether outside contractors were brought in.

The legal fault-line: Article 57 in the spotlight

Under Portuguese labour law, a firm may not assign a striker’s normal tasks to another worker, much less to staff seconded from an affiliated company. The Constitutional right to strike—enshrined in Article 57—is policed not only by the courts but also by the Authority for Working Conditions, yet the union says ACT inspectors were nowhere to be seen on the ramp. Should prosecutors validate the union’s case, executives could face fines and even criminal liability. Recent precedents are scarce, but in 2020 Groundforce faced similar accusations after a Portway walkout; that case never reached sentencing, leaving the current complaints a potential test case.

Why this matters to expats and frequent flyers

If you rely on TAP’s Saturday morning Lisbon-Heathrow run or the €19.99 Faro shuttle to Frankfurt, the biggest risk is not cancellation but multi-hour delays caused by reduced baggage staffing. Services to Madeira and the Azores enjoy protected status, yet even those flights may leave short of baggage or with cabin crew handling push-back protocols normally assigned to ground teams. Travellers with onward connections outside the EU should build extra buffer time, and anyone shipping pets or sports equipment would be wise to verify handling arrangements in advance.

A wider pay dispute inside Portuguese aviation

Behind the courtroom drama lies a familiar grievance: many ramp agents still earn little more than €820 a month, barely above the statutory minimum. SIMA argues that wages have stagnated even as TAP regained profitability and Menzies completed a global $750 M refinancing. The union is also trying to hold the line on paid night shifts and staff parking—benefits that were negotiated years before Portugal became a top-five European tourism destination.

Next steps and what to watch

Public prosecutors rarely move at airline check-in speed, meaning any formal indictments will likely come well after the August travel rush. In the meantime, holiday-makers and residents alike should monitor airline alerts, keep boarding passes handy for compensation claims, and avoid tight layovers. Whether the dispute fizzles or escalates into autumn will hinge on two factors: management’s willingness to revisit pay bands—and the courts’ interpretation of what counts as crossing the legal picket line.