easyJet cabin crew based in Portugal have voted overwhelmingly to stage two strikes this autumn and winter, escalating a long-running dispute over pay and working conditions. The walkouts are scheduled for 2–6 October and 19–23 December, and are expected to disrupt the airline's operations at Lisbon, Porto, and Faro airports.
The National Union of Civil Aviation Flight Personnel (SNPVAC) said the decision was approved unanimously by the 188 easyJet employees who attended an emergency general meeting this week. In a statement, the union said the strikes follow “numerous attempts made by easyJet cabin crew to resolve labour and pay issues, which the company has ignored.”
What is driving the discontent?
According to SNPVAC, the grievances are wide-ranging. Crew members complain of frequent and unpredictable changes to duty rosters, alleged breaches of the collective labour agreement, and unequal treatment compared with pilots. They also point to persistent operational planning problems and pressure to work overtime because of staff shortages.
The union accuses easyJet of keeping Portuguese crew on “wages below those paid by other airlines operating in Portugal and below those paid by easyJet itself in other countries in the network.” It argues that in other markets, salaries more accurately reflect the cost of living and the national minimum wage.
SNPVAC also describes a “climate of tension and dissatisfaction caused by the long and intolerable deadlock over the various labour disputes,” which it says “has worsened.” The union goes further, suggesting that easyJet's “ultimate aim is to prolong indefinitely the position it has adopted.”
Potential impact on flights
The October strike could ground around 500 scheduled flights, according to the union, though this figure excludes any minimum services that Portuguese authorities may impose. The December action, timed to coincide with the busy Christmas travel period, could have an even greater impact on the low-cost carrier's operations.
In a separate statement, SNPVAC claimed that easyJet “has repeatedly resorted to replacing striking crew members with managers and colleagues from other countries in the network.” This practice, the union argues, allows the airline to operate flights that would otherwise be cancelled, effectively undermining the right to strike.
The dispute comes at a time when Portugal is already grappling with broader economic pressures. Earlier this year, the government unveiled a cost-of-living package that stopped short of cutting VAT, and the country has been dealing with a late-September heatwave that has put additional strain on public services.
For passengers, the strikes add another layer of uncertainty to European travel, which has already seen disruptions across the continent this year. easyJet has not yet commented on the union's allegations, but the airline is likely to face pressure to negotiate before the first strike date.
The SNPVAC has said it remains open to dialogue, but the unanimous vote suggests that cabin crew are prepared to take sustained action. With the December strike falling in the peak holiday season, the stakes are high for both the airline and its passengers.
