Portugal travel warning as summer strikes to hit six airports

More travel chaos is on the horizon as airport workers in Portugalgo on strike.

Every weekend until the end of August, SPdH/Menzies ground staff who handle bags at Portugal's main airports will walk out. Backed by the SIMA union, they’re protesting low wages, unpaid night shifts, and a broken pay agreement after Menzies Aviation’s takeover.

These strikes are affecting Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Madeira, Porto Santo, and the Azores, with disruptions scheduled every weekend in August: August 8–11, August 15–18, August 22–25, and August 29–September 1. The Portugal strikes come as a union in Spain announced its Ryanair workers would strike at 12 airports in the coming weeks.

Have you been impacted by the Portugal or Spain strikes? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

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The impact is expected to hit major UK airports too — including London, Manchester, Birmingham, and Edinburgh — with Ryanair, easyJet, and BA set to reduce capacity. Up to 60 UK flights a week could be affected, disrupting travel plans for more than 10,000 people.

Although the strike is operated by ground staff, its impact is widespread. Airlines like easyJet, Ryanair, British Airways, Wizz Air, and regional carriers will operate at reduced capacity, meaning 50–60 UK flights will be impacted, affecting 9,000–10,800 Brits per week. Key UK airports impacted include London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Liverpool.

Aviation experts at AirAdvisor have noted that passengers can claim up to £1,600 in compensation if their bags are lost during the flight. The company has launched a one-of-a-kind online tool available for free that allows travellers to instantly check whether compensation is possible in the case of lost, delayed, or damaged baggage, based on their flight, airline, and route.

Passengers can request reimbursement for essential purchases (clothing, hygiene products, medication) made while waiting for their bags. In some cases, they may also be eligible for a fixed compensation of up to £1,600. This compensation applies when luggage is officially declared lost (after 21 days with no update), returned in unusable or severely damaged condition, or if the delay caused a real, documented financial loss, for example, during a business trip or a significant event.

Founder of AirAdvisor, Anton Radchenko, said: “Many travellers don’t realise that, in the case of lost or delayed baggage, airlines are still responsible, even during a strike. This is clearly established by the Montreal Convention: unless the airline can prove it took all reasonable measures to prevent the damage, it is liable for compensation.

"Our tool lets you know within seconds whether you can claim compensation for lost, delayed, or damaged luggage. To date, no other service offers anything this simple in Spain. The goal is to empower passengers. Too often, they give up in the face of airline bureaucracy. This simplifies everything.

"Since the end of July, the situation at Portuguese airports has been extremely chaotic. Baggage handling systems are paralysed, suitcases are piling up in the terminals, and many passengers, especially Brits, are arriving at their destination without their personal belongings.

Menzies has been contacted for comment.