Jet2 has issued a warning to British holidaymakers travelling to Portugal regarding a general strike taking place in the country today. The strike is expected to cause major disruption to Portuguese travel, creating hundreds of delayed and cancelled flights.
Why is the disruption happening?
Portugal has been hit by a general strike called on Wednesday, June 3, with employees across numerous sectors walking out. The strike was initiated by Portugal’s largest trade union, CGTP, in response to new labour reforms that they claim will make it easier for companies to dismiss employees and remove caps on outsourcing.
Among the strikers are rail workers, cabin crew and public transport staff, which is anticipated to directly affect travel by creating disruption and delays. This could potentially affect hundreds of flights at airports across the country, including the popular tourist destinations of Lisbon, Faro and Porto. Ricardo Penarróias, president of a Portuguese cabin crew union, said that 500 flights were at risk of being cancelled or delayed.
It has not yet been confirmed exactly how long the strike will last.
What did Jet2 say?
Jet2 has now issued an alert to British travellers heading to Portugal, warning of long queues and disruption to flights. In a statement posted on its travel information page, the airline said:
“We are aware and are monitoring a National General Strike that has been called in Portugal on June 3, 2026, supported by the Confederation of Portuguese Unions. As a result of this strike action, some transport services in destination and a number of key services at the airport may be disrupted, this could cause longer than normal queues and disruption to flights on this day.”
The airline confirmed that it is aiming to keep disruption to a minimum, although travellers have been warned to prepare for longer wait times than usual. Passengers are also advised to ensure that they arrive at the airport no less than two hours ahead of their booking.
According to the latest travel information provided by Jet2, all of the airline’s flights are currently due to operate on schedule. However, they have requested customers to keep their contact details up to date so they can be informed if this changes.
Have you ever flown with Jet2 before? Do you think the general strike is likely to cause major disruption? Let us know in the comments below!
