October 10, 2026 — Two unions at SATA Handling, the ground-handling company serving airports across the Azores, have called daily three-hour strikes from October 21 through November 3 to protest the planned sale of the business.
What is planned
- Who. Unions SITAVA and SINTAC. The notice covers all SATA Handling staff at all sites and on all shifts.
- Why. The unions oppose the sale of 100% of the handling business.
| Dates | Daily stoppage (Azores time) | Lisbon time |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 21 – Oct 27 | 7:30 am – 10:30 am | 8:30 am – 11:30 am |
| Oct 28 – Nov 3 | 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm | 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm |
- Where. SATA Handling works at the nine Azores airports and airfields. The reports do not say which airports will be hit hardest.
- Minimum service. Not stated in the reports: TBA.
- Flight changes. No airline has published cancellations or a waiver yet.
Elsewhere in Portugal
We found no new strike notices for CP trains, the Lisbon or Porto metros, mainland airport handling or border control. An easyJet cabin crew strike is listed for December 19–23; that is a single-airline matter.
What it means for airline travelers
- Flying to or within the Azores from October 21: avoid flights that depart or arrive inside the strike window. In the first week that means morning flights; in the second week, late afternoon.
- Standby travelers: delayed flights bunch up after each stoppage, so loads will be heavier just after the window closes. Carry-on only if you can, since baggage loading is what handlers do.
- Inter-island hops are the most exposed, because a three-hour gap can break a same-day connection to the mainland or a transatlantic flight. Leave a night between islands and your long-haul flight.
- Watch for updates. The strike is 11 days away, and a minimum-service ruling or a settlement could change the picture.
Sources
- Observador (Lusa), “Greve na SATA Handling entre 21 de outubro e 3 de novembro”
- ECO, “Sindicatos avançam com greve na SATA Handling para contestar privatização”
- Trânsito Agora, strike tracker
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