A three-weekend strike by ground-handling company Menzies Aviation in Portugal concluded at midnight on 26 October 2025 after arbitration mandated minimum service levels covering 20 % of international flights. The walk-out affected Lisbon, Porto and Faro airports—popular entry points for Brazilians with EU itineraries—and forced carriers such as TAP and Azul to retime or consolidate flights.
Although normal operations resumed this morning, airlines warn of backlogs in baggage handling that may take up to 48 hours to clear. Travellers arriving from Brazil should keep receipts for essential purchases in case of delayed luggage; EU Regulation 261/2004 entitles passengers to reimbursement of ‘reasonable expenses.’
For corporations relocating staff or conducting short-term projects in Portugal, the strike raises broader questions about labour-relations stability ahead of the holiday season. Mobility managers should build additional lay-over buffers when routing employees via Lisbon and consider enabling carry-on-only policies for short visits.
The episode also highlights the importance of capturing employees’ real-time location data. Several multinationals reported difficulty confirming whether consultants had made onward rail connections to Porto or Braga after missed flight connections. Integrating itinerary feeds from TMCs with tracking apps can close that visibility gap.
Although normal operations resumed this morning, airlines warn of backlogs in baggage handling that may take up to 48 hours to clear. Travellers arriving from Brazil should keep receipts for essential purchases in case of delayed luggage; EU Regulation 261/2004 entitles passengers to reimbursement of ‘reasonable expenses.’
For corporations relocating staff or conducting short-term projects in Portugal, the strike raises broader questions about labour-relations stability ahead of the holiday season. Mobility managers should build additional lay-over buffers when routing employees via Lisbon and consider enabling carry-on-only policies for short visits.
The episode also highlights the importance of capturing employees’ real-time location data. Several multinationals reported difficulty confirming whether consultants had made onward rail connections to Porto or Braga after missed flight connections. Integrating itinerary feeds from TMCs with tracking apps can close that visibility gap.
