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September is one of the most popular months to travel for many holidaymakers.
It’s the start of the shoulder season — the transitional period between peak and off-peak — where there are fewer crowds and more affordable flights and accommodation.
It’s also a time when the unbearable 40°C temperatures in hotspots like Seville and Lisbon shift to more comfortable highs of 26-30°C.
Families without kids, or those with children outside of school age, prefer to travel during this time, too, as it allows them to soak up the last of the summer sun without overspending.
However, travellers heading to popular European countries such as Spain, Italy, France, and Portugal this month may want to double-check their bookings.
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Multiple strikes have been confirmed, which have the potential to disrupt plans.
Worried about whether your holiday could suffer? The Metro Travel team has rounded up all the strikes set to take place from now until the end of the month.
France
On September 18, the main French air traffic control union, SNCTA,had planned a 24-hour strike driven by calls for wages to be adjusted in line with inflation.
The SNCTA represents around 60 per cent of France’s air traffic controllers, and is the largest ATC union in the country.
The union said in an August statement: ‘For several years now, air traffic control governance has been characterised by mistrust, punitive practices and degrading management methods. It is clear that this fruitless dialogue is now blocking any prospect of progress and reform.’
But, due to the recent collapse of the French government, where Prime Minister Francois Bayrou received a vote of no confidence in Parliament, the strike was cancelled.
Instead, a longer strike is planned from Tuesday, October 7, to Friday, October 10. It will mostly affect airlines that operate flights in and out of French airports.
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The SNCTA said the September walkout is ‘no longer compatible with the possibility of achieving demands due to a lack of interlocutors.’ They also said it would be ‘impossible to achieve demands at the ministerial level.’
Travellers should be prepared for severe delays and cancellations.
Ryanair will be one of the major airlines affected, as many flights are routed through French airspace.
Ahead of the September strikes, Michael O’Leary’s low-cost carrier warned that up to 700 flights and more than 125,000 passengers were at risk of having their trips cancelled.
EasyJet, British Airways, Vueling, Lufthansa, Air France — and many other European airlines — also face disruptions on flights that pass through French airspace.
Italy
In Italy, strikes are banned during the peak summer season from late July to early September.
But on September 26, a 24-hour walkout will paralyse Italian air transport, as several aviation strikes are set to take place simultaneously.
Organised by the transport union CUB Trasporti, baggage handlers, ground staff, and crew with low-cost carrier Volotea will stop work.
Security staff at Sardinia’s Cagliari Elmas Airport also plan to strike for the full 24 hours.
Staff at Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP), the largest airport in northern Italy and Milan Linate (LIN) will walk out for four hours.
The strikes are a response to disputes over working conditions, staffing levels across Italy’s transport sector, and pay disagreements.
Flight delays and cancellations, plus long lines at check-in counters and baggage drop-offs, are expected.
Despite the strikes, a Ryanair spokesperson told AeroTime that they will ‘continue to operate a full schedule to/from Italy, and do not expect any disruption to our operations in September.’
Portugal
The Portuguese strikes are a little more complex, as they will continue periodically for the rest of the year and into January 2026.
Ground staff in the Metallurgical and Related Industries Union (SIMA) — from baggage handlers, check-in staff, and airport workers — have been battling their employer, Menzies Aviation.
They are demanding increased pay, better working conditions, employee parking, and night shift compensation. Plus, fulfilment of previously agreed working terms.
Disruptions are expected at some of Portugal’s busiest airports, including Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Madeira, and the Azores.
As the dispute is still unresolved, strikes are scheduled for the following dates. Some will cover critical periods such as long weekends, Christmas and New Year’s Day.
• September: 19-22, and 26-28
• October: 3-6, 10-13, 17-20, 24-27, 31-November 3
• November: 7-10, 14-17, 21-24, 28-December 1
• December: 5-8, 12-15, 19-January 2
Of course, if demands are met or the conflict is resolved, these strikes will be cancelled.
Spain
Azul Handling, the company that provides ground handling services to Ryanair Group airlines at several Spanish airports, have been striking since August 15.
Over 3,000 workers in Spain began campaigning for increased pay, better working conditions, job security, and medical leave. Disputes with overtime were brought up, too.
Staff will stage strikes from 5am to 9am every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday until December 31.
Canarian Weekly has said Ryanair’s 12 Spanish bases will be affected: Alicante, Barcelona, Girona, Ibiza, Lanzarote, Madrid, Málaga, Palma de Mallorca, Santiago de Compostela, Sevilla, Tenerife South, and Valencia.
The outlet said that while the airports aren’t officially part of the strikes, schedules could experience knock-on delays and cancellations.
However, Ryanair insists there will be no disruption to travellers. The airline said: ‘We do not expect any interruption to our operations as a result of these third-party strikes in Spain.’
Metro has contacted Ryanair for comment.
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