The start of June looks set to be a difficult time for travellers planning to travel between Luxembourg and Portugal. A national strike has been announced for 3 June in Portugal, and the aviation sector is among those most affected. In a notice sent to its customers on Wednesday 27 May, Luxair acknowledges that services to Lisbon and Porto will be “the most affected”, without specifying whether all flights will be cancelled. When questioned by Paperjam, the Luxembourg-based airline said it was unable to comment on the affected flights at this stage: “Luxair will provide more information early next week regarding the affected flights, subject to the availability of new information at that time.”
The airline says it is “closely monitoring the situation” and is taking “every possible measure to minimise disruption”. But the message is clear: last-minute changes and long waiting times are to be expected at Portugal’s main airports. Ground handling services could also be affected, which risks slowing down the entire operational chain. At Findel, Luxair operates one to two flights a day to Porto and Lisbon.
Other companies that may be affected
For passengers from Luxembourg, the timing is far from insignificant. Porto and Lisbon are among the most popular destinations for the Portuguese diaspora living in the Grand Duchy, as well as for leisure travellers as summer approaches. As a result, the slightest disruption can quickly cause a knock-on effect across several flights. Luxair states that flights to Faro and Funchal, in Madeira, are expected to go ahead as scheduled, although delays remain a possibility. The airline is asking passengers transiting through Portuguese airports to arrive at least three hours before departure to allow for queues.
Affected customers will be contacted directly using the contact details provided at the time of booking. A further update is expected “early next week” should the situation change. In addition to Luxair, TAP Air Portugal, Ryanair and easyJet also operate flights between Luxembourg and Portugal, mainly to Lisbon, Porto and Faro.
For the time being, Luxair is one of the few airlines to have officially warned its customers of the disruption expected on 3 June, particularly on flights to Porto and Lisbon. Ryanair, for its part, says it does not anticipate any major disruption, whilst TAP has not yet made a public statement. However, the strike could extend beyond the aviation sector alone: public transport and several services in Portugal are also set to take part in the national action, with the risk of significant disruption around Portuguese airports.
