Portugal: easyJet Cabin Crew Strike 19–23 December — and Why Compensation May Be Due

The easyJet cabin crew strike in Portugal runs for five days over the Christmas peak, from Saturday 19 to Wednesday 23 December 2026 — and passengers whose flights are disrupted may be owed cash compensation as well as a refund or rerouting.

What the easyJet cabin crew strike is about

The strike was called by the cabin crew union SNPVAC, and members approved it unanimously in September, with 188 votes in favour. The dispute is about pay that the union says is below the Portuguese national average and below what easyJet pays cabin crew elsewhere in the European Union, as well as alleged breaches of the collective agreement.

That matters for passengers, because a strike by an airline’s own staff is treated differently in law from disruption caused by outside events — as the rights section below explains.

Which flights are affected — and which are protected

The walkout affects easyJet flights to and from the airline’s Lisbon, Porto and Faro bases. But it is not a total shutdown: the minimum-services order issued by DGERT (Order 51/2026, dated 25 September 2026) protects a set of routes for 19–23 December.

Protected services include two daily Lisbon–Funchal returns and two daily Porto–Funchal returns, a Lisbon–Porto Santo flight, daily Lisbon–London returns and daily Lisbon–Luxembourg and Porto–Luxembourg returns. Protected rotations also cover Geneva, Basel, Nantes, Bordeaux, Lyon, Nice and Paris, as well as Cabo Verde — Praia and São Vicente.

If your route does not appear on that protected list, the easyJet cabin crew strike could still lead to your flight being cancelled or rescheduled, so it is worth checking your booking rather than assuming you are covered.

Your rights if your flight is cancelled or delayed

There is a money point worth knowing. Because this is a strike by the airline’s own staff, it is not an ‘extraordinary circumstance’ under EU261. That means cash compensation of €250, €400 or €600, depending on distance, may be due on top of a refund or rerouting and care — if your flight is cancelled or arrives three or more hours late.

Under EU261, a cancelled flight also entitles you to choose between a refund and re-routing, and the airline owes you care while you wait. Keep your evidence: boarding passes, tickets, your booking confirmation, a note of the time you were told about the disruption, and receipts for meals, hotels and alternative transport. To claim, contact the airline first, in writing, with your booking reference and those details; if the airline refuses, your national enforcement body is the next step.

The position is different for disruption caused by air-traffic restrictions, which can count as extraordinary circumstances. For a contrast, see our coverage of the indefinite air traffic control strike at nine Spanish airports, where delays are piling up at Lanzarote.

What to do if you are flying between 19 and 23 December

If you are flying easyJet to or from Lisbon, Porto or Faro between 19 and 23 December, check whether your flight is covered by the minimum-services list, and watch for cancellation notices from the airline. Keep your booking details and receipts, and if your flight is cancelled or arrives three or more hours late, ask easyJet about a refund or rerouting — and about EU261 compensation.

Act quickly if the airline contacts you: during the easyJet cabin crew strike, alternatives over the Christmas peak will be in demand.

As general good practice during any strike, check your flight status in the airline’s app before leaving home and again before setting off, and allow extra time in case check-in and security are busier than usual.

Check your trip

Before you travel, run your journey through the StrikeWatch trip checker to see whether the easyJet cabin crew strike — or any other strike or closure we are tracking — affects your exact travel date. And if your plans change, check the DGERT minimum-services order and your airline’s latest notices before you head to the airport.

Source: Lusa news agency, 29 September 2026, reporting DGERT minimum-services Order 51/2026 of 25 September 2026.