Baggage handler strike cancels more than half of flights
Groundforce workers have also been on an overtime strike since 15 July, which will continue until 24:00 on 31 October 2021.
The second day of the strike by workers at `handling’ company Groundforce led to the cancellation of 321 of the 515 flights scheduled for Sunday at Lisbon airport, ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal said.
“Due to the strike by Groundforce’s handling service, of the 515 flights scheduled for Lisbon airport today, 321 flights are cancelled (166 arrivals and 155 departures), and a total of 194 flights are expected to be operated (95 arrivals and 99 departures),” ANA said in a statement.
The airlines that use terminal 2 of the Portuguese capital’s airport – the ‘low cost’ – and those operating with another ground handling company, other than Groundforce, maintain their operations, the airport company said.
According to ANA, at Porto airport, 37 flights were cancelled, seven flights were cancelled at Faro airport, and, in Madeira and Porto Santo, the strike led to the cancellation of six flights in each airport.
As on Saturday, the first day of the strike, ANA has asked passengers with flights scheduled for today to find out the flight status before going to the airport and, in the event of cancellations, not to go to Lisbon airport.
The strike will continue on 31 July, 1 and 2 August. In addition to this strike, Groundforce workers have also been on an overtime strike since 15 July, which will continue until 24:00 on 31 October 2021.
Groundforce is 50.1% owned by Pasogal and 49.9% by the TAP group, which in 2020 became 72.5% owned by the Portuguese state.
TAP said on Saturday that it has no overdue payments to Groundforce after the handling company accused the airline of owing €12 million for services already provided.
