Around 300 flights at Portugal’s airports have been affected by strikes initiated by air traffic controllers in the last two weeks.
Protesting against government austerity measures including cuts in pay, Navegação Aérea de Portugal (NAV) employees organised strikes for May 11, 17 and 18 between three two-hour periods during the day – 7am and 9am, 2pm and 4pm, 9pm and 11pm – with the aim of causing the maximum amount of disruption to air travel in and out of Portugal (see Algarve Resident edition May 18). Further protests were due to take place on May 24 and 25, after the Algarve Resident went to press.
Condemning the strikes which are resulting in the cancellation, rescheduling and delay of many flights, Ryanair has been urging the European Commission to remove the right to strike from all European air traffic controllers.
Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara said on May 16: “It is unacceptable that Europe’s skies are repeatedly closed down and flights are delayed due to striking by a small number of air traffic controllers and airport workers.”
For further information, please contact Faro Airport on 289 800 800, Lisbon Airport on 218 413 500 or Porto Airport on 229 432 400.
