easyJet Portugal strike, 19–23 December 2026: what is known and your rights

What is known so far

SNPVAC’s strike notice covers easyJet’s Portugal-based cabin crew on 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23 December 2026 as well as 2–6 October. Portugal’s Government has already set minimum services for the December dates, with more protection than in October because of Christmas travel. Which flights easyJet will cancel has not been announced. The union expects the impact to be larger than in October; no figure has been published.

The strike could still be called off or changed if easyJet and the union reach an agreement. This page will be updated when that happens.

Minimum services already set for 19–23 December

• Madeira: two daily Lisbon–Funchal and two daily Porto–Funchal rotations; Lisbon–Porto Santo on its scheduled day.
• Switzerland: three daily rotations in total, chosen from among Lisbon–Geneva, Lisbon–Basel, Porto–Geneva and Faro–Geneva. Lisbon–Zurich, protected in October, is not on the December list.
• France: three daily rotations chosen from among Lisbon–Nantes, Lisbon–Bordeaux, Porto–Nantes, Porto–Bordeaux, Porto–Lyon, Porto–Nice and Porto–Paris, when scheduled.
• London and Luxembourg: one daily Lisbon–London rotation; Luxembourg rotations from Lisbon and Porto.
• Cape Verde: two rotations in total between Lisbon/Porto and Praia or São Vicente.

The date that decides compensation: 14 days before your flight

Because the strike was announced in September, easyJet has time to cancel December flights more than two weeks ahead. If it tells you 14 days or more before departure, there is no fixed compensation — but you still choose between a full refund and a free re-booking. If it tells you later, compensation is in play.

If easyJet cancels your December flight

You choose between a refund within seven days (money, not a voucher unless you agree) and re-routing — at the earliest opportunity, or on a later date of your choosing. Over Christmas, “earliest opportunity” can mean another airline: if easyJet has nothing comparable, ask for re-routing on another carrier in writing.

Is the strike an extraordinary circumstance?

No. A strike called by a union of the airline’s own staff, with legal notice, over that airline’s pay and conditions is not an extraordinary circumstance (Airhelp v SAS, C-28/20). If your December flight is cancelled with less than 14 days’ notice, or arrives 3 hours late or more, compensation of €250–€600 is due unless easyJet re-routes you within the time windows set by the Regulation.

What to do now if you are booked 19–23 December

1. Check the booking in the easyJet app and keep every message about it, with dates.
2. Do not cancel the booking yourself: you would get only what your fare conditions allow, not the refund, re-routing and compensation rights that a cancellation by easyJet brings.
3. If easyJet cancels, decide between refund and re-routing; take screenshots of the options offered.
4. Come back to this page: the status and the list of known facts are updated as soon as easyJet or the union announces anything.

Lisbon, Porto and Faro

The Lisbon, Porto and Faro bases are all covered by the strike notice. In December, Madeira and Cape Verde links get more protection than in October, and Porto–Funchal goes from one to two daily rotations. Faro is the most exposed base: its only protected route in December is Faro–Geneva, from the shared Swiss pool — Faro–Nantes and Faro–Lyon, protected in October, are not on the December list.