Ground Staff Walkouts Shake Portugal’s Airports, Upending Summer Travel Plans

The moment you step into any Portuguese airport this weekend you will notice two competing forces at play: a surge of summer travelers and an airport‐services strike that refuses to back down. Handling staff at SPdH/Menzies have walked out again, sending airlines scrambling for last-minute fixes while unions file fresh legal complaints. Yet airport managers insist they have "robust contingency plans" in place. For foreigners who live here—or whose holiday hinges on a timely departure—the next three weeks will test both nerves and schedules.

Why the ground stopped moving

At the core of the dispute is a claim that hundreds of baggage handlers and ramp agents are still earning below Portugal’s legal minimum wage, despite the takeover of the former Groundforce by UK-based Menzies Aviation. Two unions—Sindicato das Indústrias Metalúrgicas e Afins (SIMA) and Sindicato dos Transportes—say the company also withholds night-shift premiums and has curtailed traditional staff parking rights. Their most explosive accusation: managers allegedly replaced striking workers with non-qualified personnel, a move the unions argue violates both Article 57 of the Constitution and Portugal’s Strike Law.

Menzies dismisses the allegations, stating it operates "strictly within the law" and maintains an "open and constructive dialogue" with staff. The company now faces criminal complaints filed with the Public Prosecutor and a separate dossier lodged with civil-aviation regulator ANAC, focused on flight-safety risks during the walkouts. No rulings have been handed down, but SIMA’s leadership says it is prepared for a protracted legal fight.

What the strike means for your itinerary

Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado Airport—where nearly 2,000 of Menzies’ 3,500 Portuguese workers are based—absorbs the brunt of each stoppage. By mid-morning today a dozen departures and eight arrivals had already been cancelled. Porto and Faro are experiencing fewer outright cancellations but longer queues at check-in and baggage belts. Nationwide, as many as 60 UK flights per week could face schedule changes, a headache for travellers connecting onward to the rest of Europe or back home.

Authorities have imposed minimum-service guarantees to keep critical links open: medical evacuations, military traffic, and lifeline routes to the Azores and Madeira must operate even during the strike. TAP aircraft on overnight layovers abroad are also protected, a compromise reached by the Tribunal Arbitral after intense lobbying from the flag carrier. Nevertheless, if your flight is handled by Menzies you should plan for the possibility of a late-night text message announcing a new gate—or worse, a new day—of departure.

Bigger than a pay quarrel: fault lines in Portugal’s aviation model

For the past decade, Portugal’s airports outsourced handling to private companies on thin margins. When Groundforce collapsed under debt in 2021, Menzies stepped in with the promise of stability. Yet the current standoff highlights an uneasy triangle between foreign investors, powerful unions, and TAP’s partial state ownership. With tourism contributing roughly 15% of GDP, disruptions can reverberate far beyond departure halls. Local hospitality businesses worry about late arrivals that translate into empty tables and lost room nights, while regional chambers of commerce fear damage to Portugal’s punctual, hassle-free brand.

Labour economists note that Portugal’s €820 monthly minimum wage still lags behind most Western European peers, intensifying pressure on companies that rely on seasonal staffing. If the unions succeed in court, observers predict knock-on claims in other low-paid sectors—from call centres to food delivery—potentially reshaping the broader expat job market.

Keeping stress to a minimum: tips from frequent flyers

If you hold residency in Portugal—or simply visit often—you already know peak-summer queues rival those of any Iberian neighbour. During strike periods that reality magnifies. Airline representatives advise arriving 3 hours before European flights, 4 hours for long-haul, completing online check-in, and packing carry-on only. Experts add that most major travel insurers active in Portugal now cover "industrial action" delays, provided travellers keep receipts for meals and alternative transport. EU Regulation 261/2004, however, does not guarantee cash compensation for delays caused by airport-handling strikes judged beyond an airline’s control, so be prepared to negotiate vouchers rather than refunds.

For residents flying frequently between Lisbon and regional hubs, consider CP’s Alfa Pendular rail service as an alternate; business-class seats often cost less than last-minute airfare and include access to quiet lounges in larger stations. Motorway driving remains an option too—tolls from Lisbon to Porto range around €23, a predictable outlay compared with the roulette of cancelled flights.

Will the skies clear before September?

The calendar offers little respite. Additional four-day stoppages are booked for 15-18 August, 22-25 August and 29 August-1 September. Government mediators have hosted "exploratory meetings" but no formal arbitration is on the table. Behind the scenes, TAP executives fear that prolonged labour turbulence could complicate the flag carrier’s long-delayed privatisation plan, slated to relaunch this autumn.

For now, expect incremental fixes rather than a grand solution: Menzies will fly in supervisors from Spain and the UK, unions will keep picket lines visible, and travellers will navigate a maze of updated departure boards. The best advice? Monitor your airline’s app hourly, keep itineraries flexible, and remember that Portugal’s famed sunshine still greets you once you finally clear arrivals—even if your suitcase turns up a day later.