British holidaymakers face travel disruption as EasyJet cancels over 200 flights to and from Portugal due to a cabin crew strike.
EasyJet has announced the cancellation of 232 flights to and from Portugal over the next three days, impacting travel plans for many holidaymakers. The strike, organised by cabin crew unions in Portugal, is scheduled to take place from 15 to 17 August.
The airline, which operates flights to and from various UK airports including Gatwick, Luton, Glasgow, Manchester and Bristol, has been forced to ground more than a quarter of its scheduled flights to Portugal during the strike period. A total of 1,138 EasyJet flights were originally planned for this period, with 27 routes between the UK and Portugal affected by the cancellations.
The strike action, originally expected to impact 160 flights, has been escalated due to ongoing disputes between unions and the airline regarding working conditions and pay. The National Civil Aviation Flight Staff Union has appealed to EasyJet to address the âfair demandsâ of its employees, while the cabin crew union SNPVAC has criticised the airline for ignoring their proposals to prevent the strike.
Ricardo Penarroias, president of SNPVAC, has highlighted concerns over deteriorating working conditions, including longer working hours and staff shortages, as well as the need for increased bonuses.
EasyJet has expressed disappointment over the strike, stating that it has taken steps to minimise disruption to passengers, including proactively cancelling some flights in advance to allow for travel arrangements to be amended. Affected customers have been contacted with options to rebook or receive a refund.
Passengers planning to travel to Portugal during the strike period are advised to check the status of their flights via the EasyJet Flight Tracker.
The airline has confirmed that only 62% of its scheduled flight programme will operate during the strike period.
While the strike is expected to cause significant disruption, EasyJet remains committed to supporting affected passengers and ensuring their travel plans are disrupted as minimally as possible.