Workers protesting the planned privatization of airport ground services begin partial strike, causing delays and interisland flight cancellations.
A strike by SATA ground handling workers is causing significant flight delays and cancellations across the Azores, disrupting air travel between the archipelago’s nine islands as employees protest the Regional Government’s plans to fully privatize the airline’s ground handling operations.
The work stoppage began affecting airport operations early Thursday, October 22, with substantial delays reported on most flights and several interisland connections canceled, according to Portuguese public broadcaster RTP.
Reporting from Ponta Delgada Airport on São Miguel Island, RTP journalist Clésia Meneses said the disruptions were affecting operations both on São Miguel and throughout the autonomous region.
Vítor Mendes, a representative of the Aviation and Airport Workers’ Union (SINTAVA), told RTP that although it was too early to determine the precise level of worker participation, the consequences of the strike were already evident.
Mendes warned of a potential “snowball effect,” with delays and cancellations accumulating as disruptions spread through the region’s interconnected flight schedules.
At the center of the dispute is the Regional Government’s proposed 100% privatization of SATA’s ground handling services, which include baggage operations and other essential airport support functions.
The union argues that transferring these services entirely to private ownership could undermine the public interest and weaken territorial cohesion in a region where air transportation is essential to daily life.
Mendes also questioned what he described as a contradiction between the government’s privatization plans and the arbitration tribunal’s decision to impose minimum service requirements during the strike.
According to the union representative, the tribunal’s recognition of ground handling as an essential activity reinforces the importance of maintaining safeguards for services on which island residents depend.
The partial strike is scheduled to continue through November 3, with workers stopping work for three hours each day.
During the first week, the stoppages will take place in the morning, shifting to late afternoon during the second week. The alternating schedule could produce further disruptions to passenger and baggage operations.
The dispute comes amid continuing debate over the future of SATA and the role of public ownership in maintaining transportation links throughout the archipelago.
Unlike mainland regions, the Azores depend heavily on air services for interisland mobility, access to specialized healthcare, business activity, and connections with mainland Portugal and international destinations.
The strike highlights the tension between the Regional Government’s restructuring plans and workers’ concerns about the future of essential aviation services.
Passengers traveling to, from, or between the Azorean islands during the strike period may face delays or cancellations and should check directly with their airline for updated flight information.
Based on reporting by RTP, including statements from SINTAVA representative Vítor Mendes concerning the SATA ground handling strike beginning October 22, 2026. The Photo is from SATA-Azores Airlines.