easyJet Cabin Crew in Portugal Announce October and December Strikes — Up to 500 Flights at Risk

easyJet cabin crew based in Portugal have announced two strike periods: 2–6 October and 19–23 December. The action is expected to disrupt schedules at Lisbon, Porto and Faro airports and could affect hundreds of flights during a key autumn long weekend and the busy Christmas travel period.

Union Warning and Vote

The National Union of Civil Aviation Flight Personnel (SNPVAC) says roughly 500 scheduled flights could be cancelled during the October action, not accounting for any minimum services authorities might impose. The union added that the December stoppage may cause even greater disruption because it falls in the peak holiday travel window.

Why Crews Are Striking

SNPVAC held an emergency general meeting this week. According to the union, the motion to call both strikes was approved unanimously by the 188 easyJet employees who attended. The union says the ballot followed "numerous attempts made by easyJet cabin crew to resolve labour and pay issues, which the company has ignored."

Crew grievances include:

• Frequent and disruptive last-minute changes to duty rosters
• Alleged breaches of the collective labour agreement
• Perceived unequal treatment of cabin crew compared with pilots
• Operational planning failures and pressure to work overtime amid staffing shortages
• Claims that Portuguese cabin crew are paid less than counterparts at other airlines in Portugal and less than easyJet crew in other countries

SNPVAC: "A climate of tension and dissatisfaction has been caused by the long and intolerable deadlock over the various labour disputes... we believe easyJet's ultimate aim is to prolong indefinitely the position it has adopted."

Allegations of Strike-Busting

The union also alleges that easyJet has repeatedly deployed managers and crew flown in from other countries to replace striking staff, enabling flights to continue that would otherwise be cancelled — an action SNPVAC says undermines the right to strike.

Timing and Potential Impact

The October walkout overlaps the long weekend around Portugal's Republic Day public holiday on 5 October (a Monday this year), a period that could boost travel demand. The December stoppage runs until two days before Christmas, when many passengers travel for leisure or to return home for the festive season, raising the prospect of significant disruption to holiday travel.

easyJet has not released a detailed public response in this report. Authorities may impose minimum service rules that could reduce cancellations. Passengers booked on affected routes should monitor airline communications and consider travel insurance or flexible ticket options.