easyJet strikes to disrupt flights in the Netherlands this autumn

Time to reevaluate your autmun travel plans as easyJet staff in Portugal and France have voted to strike during the first week of October and the third week of December. The planned walkouts are expected to cause flight delays and cancellations across Europe, including for passengers travelling to and from the Netherlands.

easyJet flights to the Netherlands disrupted in autumn 2026

easyJet cabin crew employees in Portugal have voted to carry out two waves of strikes this autumn, the first from October 2 to 6 and the second from December 19 to 23. 

While the strikes will largely disrupt airports in Lisbon, Porto and Faro, Dutch airports such as Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport and Eindhoven Airport will also feel knock-on effects. 

According to the National Union of Civil Aviation Flight Personnel (SNPVAC), around 500 flights could be grounded during the October strike, although Portuguese law requires organisations to maintain a minimum level of service during strikes. 

French easyJet pilot strikes & reasons behind walkouts

In addition to the Portuguese cabin crew action, easyJet pilots in France, represented by the SNPL union, are scheduled to strike on October 1 to 2. 

While the union postponed the walkout to give negotiations "a real chance of success", according to Air Journal, a strike would still disrupt flights between Dutch airports and several French destinations, including Paris Charles de Gaulle, Paris Orly, Lyon, Nice, Nantes and Bordeaux.

easyJet has stated it will contact affected passengers directly via email, text or its mobile app, and travellers are advised to monitor their flight status regularly. Depending on whether a flight is cancelled or severely delayed, passengers travelling from the Netherlands may be entitled to a full refund, free rebooking or statutory compensation.

At the core of the dispute in France is "chronic instability" in work schedules, with the union demanding roster guarantees - such as five days of unchangeable schedules per month - similar to those secured by French cabin crew in August.

easyJet currently employs around 4.000 pilots and 8.000 cabin crew across Europe, and whether the second wave of Portuguese strikes planned for December 19 to 23 goes ahead will depend on how negotiations progress in the coming months.

This article originally appeared on IamExpat Germany.