October 2, 2026 — easyJet (U2) cabin crew in Portugal began a five-day strike today, and the union says 443 flights from Lisbon, Porto and Faro are already cancelled.
What happened
The walkout was called by SNPVAC, Portugal’s cabin crew union. It runs from Friday, October 2 through Tuesday, October 6, covering the long weekend around the October 5 public holiday.
SNPVAC says about 80% of flights at easyJet’s three Portuguese bases have been cancelled. easyJet gives a different picture: it expects to operate roughly 55% of its schedule by combining court-ordered minimum services with flights crewed from other European bases. The union calls that use of outside crews illegal and says it may go to court.
The dispute is over roster stability, pay progression by seniority and the terms of a new company agreement. easyJet said it was “extremely disappointed” by the strike.
Strike at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Dates | October 2–6, 2026 |
| Bases | Lisbon (LIS), Porto (OPO), Faro (FAO) |
| Flights cancelled so far | 443 (union figure) |
| Minimum services | About 22% of Portugal-based flying, including selected flights to Madeira, France, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Cabo Verde, plus Lisbon–London |
| Next strike | December 19–23, 2026 |
What it means for non-revs
- Avoid easyJet standby to or from Portugal through October 6. Flights that do operate will be packed with rebooked customers.
- Other carriers out of Lisbon, Porto and Faro will be tight too. Displaced holiday-weekend passengers are buying whatever is left. Check loads on the day, and have a backup routing.
- Give it a day or two after October 6. Aircraft and crews need to get back in position, and leftover passengers still need seats.
- Mark December 19–23 now. The second strike lands on the Christmas rush. If it goes ahead, Portugal will be a poor standby bet that week.
Sources
- Observador — Greve dos tripulantes da easyJet arranca com 80% dos voos já cancelados
- Jornal Económico — Greve dos tripulantes da easyJet deverá afetar pelo menos 443 voos
- Rus Tourism News — easyJet Strike Starts in Portugal With Around 500 Flights at Risk
