easyJet cabin crew in Portugal plan 2 five-day strikes at 3 airports

Disruption overview

Cabin crew at easyJet in Portugal are due to walk out from 2–6 October 2026 and again from 19–23 December 2026, putting flights at Lisbon Airport, Porto Airport, and Faro Airport at risk. The union says about 500 flights on the Lisbon-Porto-Faro network could be canceled during the October action alone, while the December strike may disrupt even more services in the busy run-up to Christmas. Because the dispute involves the airline's own staff, passengers whose flights are canceled or delayed by more than 3 hours may be entitled to up to US$650 compensation under EC 261.

Disruption details

Passengers flying with easyJet in Portugal could face disruption later this year, as cabin crew have scheduled 2 separate five-day strikes affecting flights from Lisbon Airport (LIS), Porto Airport (OPO), and Faro Airport (FAO).

The walkouts are set for 2–6 October 2026 and again from 19–23 December 2026. For passengers, that could mean canceled trips, longer waits, and difficult rebooking at 2 especially busy travel periods. The October action overlaps with Portugal's Republic Day long weekend, while the December strike lands just before Christmas, when demand is usually much higher.

Right now, these are the key points to watch:

• The strike affects easyJet cabin crew based at Lisbon, Porto, and Faro.

• The union estimates that about 500 flights on the Lisbon-Porto-Faro network could be canceled during the October walkout alone.

• The December stoppage falls in the peak pre-Christmas travel window and could disrupt even more services.

Portugal's civil aviation regulator can require minimum services during strike action, so some flights may still operate. Even so, easyJet runs dozens of daily domestic and intra-European rotations from these 3 airports, which means thousands of travelers could still be affected by cancellations or long delays.

The strike decision followed an emergency general assembly of 188 Portuguese-based cabin crew, all of whom backed industrial action. Their union says attempts to resolve the dispute have gone nowhere after a long period of tension over pay and working conditions.

At the center of the dispute are claims that easyJet has repeatedly breached the collective labor agreement, changed rosters at short notice, and left staffing too tight, pushing crew into overtime. The union also says Portuguese-based cabin crew are paid less than easyJet colleagues elsewhere in Europe and less than workers at other airlines in Portugal.

Another point of frustration is how previous strikes were handled. The union accuses easyJet of weakening earlier action by using managers and crew from outside Portugal to keep flights operating. That allegation has added to the sense that the dispute is about more than pay alone.

easyJet hasn't yet set out a detailed public response or explained exactly how it plans to limit disruption during these strike windows. In past disruptions, airlines have tried to protect a reduced schedule where possible and offered passengers rebooking or refunds when flights were canceled.

If you're due to travel during either strike period, it's worth keeping a close eye on your booking and any alerts from the airline. If your flight is canceled, easyJet should offer you a choice between rerouting and a compensation. And if you're left waiting, the airline should also provide care such as food, refreshments, and accommodation when an overnight stay is necessary.

Because this dispute involves an airline's own staff within the EU, passengers whose flights are canceled or delayed by more than 3 hours may be entitled to up to US$650 compensation under EC 261, unless easyJet can show it took all reasonable measures to avoid the disruption. If your trip is affected, you can check your compensation with AirHelp in just 2 minutes.

Protect your future trips with AirHelp+

Secure your flights, luggage and get lounge access