Warning as 500 flights face cancellation next week – including easyJet | World | News
Holidaymakers heading to Portugal early next month are urged to check their travel plans; Hundreds of flights are at risk of being disrupted during the planned nationwide strike. Cabin crew, airport staff, railway workers, public transport workers and even doctors are expected to walk off the job on Wednesday, June 3, in protest against labor reforms proposed by the Portuguese government. Industry estimates suggest as many as 500 flights could be canceled if the action continues.
The outage is expected to affect major airports across Portugal, including Lisbon, Porto and Faro; Madeira and Ponta Delgada in the Azores are also among the places likely to feel the impact. The strike was called by Portugal’s largest umbrella union, CGTP, in the wake of the government’s failed labor reforms. A general strike was planned by numerous unions, including a strike by cabin crew who are members of the SNPVAC union.
The country’s flag carrier, TAP Air Portugal, is expected to be among the hardest hit airlines; reports suggest it could cancel up to 300 services, among other Portuguese and SATA services. The union said easyJet and Ryanair flights were also expected to be affected.
However, Ryanair said: Independent He said he did not expect any disruptions and would operate normally. Meanwhile, EasyJet said “we can expect some disruption to our flight schedule.”
“We will do our best to minimize the impact of strike action and will contact customers directly with their options if their flights are affected,” a spokesperson told the news outlet. “While this is beyond our control, we apologize for any inconvenience this strike action may cause.”
Passengers flying on June 2 or June 4 are also advised to check for updates. Delays may also affect travel in the coming days.
Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport will likely be the worst affected airport, followed by Porto Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport and Faro Airport. Funchal Airport in Madeira and Ponta Delgada Airport in the Azores are also expected to be affected.
While the strike was expected to affect metro, bus, ferry and railway services, passengers were called to allow extra time on their way to the airport.
