Ryanair and easyJet customers are among travellers affected by Portugal flight disruption today. Fuel tanker drivers in Portugal have gone on strike resulting in fuel shortages at local airports. Flights to Portugal are being cancelled or forced to divert for fuel stops en route to the country. Anyone heading to or from the southern European country are advised to check the status of their flights with their airlines. This is the latest travel advice.
Portugal’s main tourist airport, Faro, has been particularly hit by the fuel strikes which began on Tuesday as workers demanded better rights.
Faro has resorted to emergency fuel reserves and Lisbon airport has also been affected.
The two airports handle nearly 100,000 passengers every day between them.
Economy Minister Pedro Siza Vieira told reporters: “At both airports, where fuel supply wasn’t ensured, we have reached critical levels of fuel reserves for aircraft refuelling.”
Ryanair and easyJet flights have been affected by the travel chaos.
Four easyJet flights between the UK and Portugal will be forced to make fuel stops en route: a round-trip from Bristol to Faro and inbound flights from Faro to Gatwick and Liverpool.
An easyJet spokesman told Express.co.uk: “Due to strike action in Portugal affecting fuel availability easyJet, like all airlines, is experiencing some disruption to its flying programme today and four flights between the UK and Portugal will be required to make fuel stops on route.
“We are doing everything possible to minimise the disruption for our customers and whilst this is outside of our control, we would like to apologise to customers for any inconvenience experienced as a result of the strike action.
“We advise all customers due to travel to or from Portugal to check the status of their flights on our Flight Tracker for the latest information.”
Air traffic controllers said on Twitter that a Ryanair flight diverted to Santiago de Compostela, in northern Spain, to refuel before returning to Lisbon.
Express.co.uk has contacted Ryanair for further comment on any flight disruption.
A British Airways spokeswoman told Express.co.uk that BA flights had not been impacted.
According to Reuters, Portugal’s national airline, TAP, has a contingency plan to reduce the impact of the strike.
The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office has updated their travel advice: “Strike action by Portuguese fuel tanker drivers since 16 April may cause disruption to flights at Lisbon and Faro airports.
“If you’re travelling from Lisbon or Faro airport over the coming days, check with your airline for possible delays. Travel within Portugal may also be affected by the strike.”
The news comes as American Airlines revealed it will be cancelling 115 flights every day until August due to their fleet of Boeing 737 max aircraft being grounded.
Following the two tragic Boeing 737 max crashes in March and October last year, Boeing is now developing new software for the jet’s anti-stall system.
Senior officials at American Airlines have said they are “confident” the Boeing upgrade would be approved by US aviation regulators before 19 August.
