Strikes
SATA operations face disruptions due to handling strike
The ground-handling strike by SITAVA and SINTAC union workers caused six cancellations and departure delays for SATA Air Açores during the morning of Wednesday, 21 October 2026. SATA Air Açores operations experienced constraints, while Azores Airlines operated normally apart from an unrelated international delay. The strike is running in daily intervals from 07:30 to 10:30 local time until 27 October 2026, and will shift to 16:00 to 19:00 daily from 28 October until 3 November 2026, in protest against the Azores Regional Government's plan to sell off the region's handling services entirely.
Why it matters
If you are flying with SATA Air Açores or traveling through airports in the Azores between now and 3 November 2026, expect flight cancellations and delays during the daily strike windows (07:30 to 10:30 until 27 October, and 16:00 to 19:00 from 28 October onwards).ObservadorRead original ↗
