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Cabin crew strikes - December 2022 and into 2023 [now resolved]

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Cabin crew strikes - December 2022 and into 2023 [now resolved]

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Old Nov 18, 2022, 9:34 pm
  #1  
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Cabin crew strikes - December 2022 and into 2023 [now resolved]

A few days ago I was looking to book a MAD-LIS-OPO for 08 Dec but today I go to book it and suddenly no flights are available. Inquisitively, I use google flights to see if TAP is flying from LIS to anywhere in Europe on 08 Dec and only Seville pops up on the map ($134 one way, nonstop, two departures). On 09 Dec only Faro ($967 one way w/ layovers in DUS and MUC) and Madeira ($598 one way w/ layovers in ORY and OPO). These LIS-DUS and LIS-ORY flights cannot be found on their own either.
On 10 Dec, everything seems back to normal.

Does anyone have an idea what's going on?
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Old Nov 18, 2022, 10:06 pm
  #2  
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Also worth noting, I have a ticketed flight with TAP on 08 Dec from LIS-MAD booked with Air Canada as part of a larger itinerary and that reservation doesn't say anything about the TAP flight being cancelled.
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Old Nov 19, 2022, 5:05 am
  #3  
 
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There's a strike on the 8th and 9th of December for TAP crew.

TAP is preempting further damage by removing flights from sale. The flights could still go ahead if the strike is called off.
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Old Nov 19, 2022, 10:09 am
  #4  
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There's often a bit of negotiation going on to the wire on this, but as far as I can tell the strike is on. To partly quote a report from PAJ:

Originally Posted by PAJ
TAP Air Portugal cabin crew workers, represented by the National Civil Aviation Flight Personnel Union (SNPVAC), advanced this Thursday a strike notice for December 8 and 9.

The workers’ action, supported by the airliner pilots, is in response to a proposed new workers’ contract presented by the carrier. According to the notice, the workers demand the replacement of lost salaries and benefits resulting from the current company’s restructuring. The notice also claims the “lack of respect that TAP has shown towards the crew” and the “more than questionable management decisions that end up having a direct and indirect impact” on the lives of its workers.
In addition TAP has to give a lot of pilots and cabin crew accrued time off by end of December, to comply with various limitation on crew working hours. That may knock 2 or 3 flights a day during December.
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Old Nov 19, 2022, 11:59 am
  #5  
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TAP on their official Twitter site:

In view of the prior notice of the cabin crew strike on the 8th and 9th of December, TAP informs that it will allow customers who wish to change the dates of their flights during this period to do so without any penalty between the 28th of November and the 19th of December.
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Old Nov 19, 2022, 8:54 pm
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OK, so we're booked LIS-CMN on TAP on Dec 7th, returning the next day Dec 8th. Is it safe to assume the outbound will be unaffected and I only have to find a way back to Lisbon?
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Old Nov 20, 2022, 7:29 am
  #7  
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Originally Posted by Mike Jacoubowsky
OK, so we're booked LIS-CMN on TAP on Dec 7th, returning the next day Dec 8th. Is it safe to assume the outbound will be unaffected and I only have to find a way back to Lisbon?
Yes, I guess we can only speculate at this point, but the outbound should be OK, the return to LIS may be cancelled if the strike goes ahead. So you do now have the option to call up and move the flight, if there is a cancellation you can get a refund.
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Old Nov 20, 2022, 1:31 pm
  #8  
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So since I’m ticketed on AC with an affected TAP segment, should AC allow me to change for free or would that only happen if/when TAP officially cancels that segment?
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Old Nov 20, 2022, 1:51 pm
  #9  
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That will be under AC's control until 24 hours before the departure time. And yes it may be that until there is a cancellation it could be difficult to change it.
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Old Nov 21, 2022, 6:33 am
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Just received the email warning about the strike for a FNC-LIS on 09DEC, and offering free change within the time window that was mentioned in a post earlier by c-w-s.

I am totally unaware of the legislation regarding strikes in Portugal. Is there any sort of minimum service levels the airline need to comply with as dictated by the government?

I need to be in MAD that very same day, so I'm trying to assess whether I should book an alternative now (there seems to be cheap availability on U2 and FR), or just wait for the MSL to be defined (if any) and hope my flight is within or there are some other flights that day I can be rebooked to...
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Old Nov 21, 2022, 7:26 am
  #11  
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Originally Posted by 4lB3R70
Just received the email warning about the strike for a FNC-LIS on 09DEC, and offering free change within the time window that was mentioned in a post earlier by c-w-s.

I am totally unaware of the legislation regarding strikes in Portugal. Is there any sort of minimum service levels the airline need to comply with as dictated by the government?

I need to be in MAD that very same day, so I'm trying to assess whether I should book an alternative now (there seems to be cheap availability on U2 and FR), or just wait for the MSL to be defined (if any) and hope my flight is within or there are some other flights that day I can be rebooked to...
If you really need to in MAD on that day, I'd book an alternative flight. MSL will be defined closer to the actual strike dates, but it is unlikely they'll include MAD. It'll probably include FNC, PDL, TER, and maybe SID or RAI, LAD, maybe MPM, and Brazil. It's possible it includes also some European destinations where there are big Portuguese communities, such as ORY or GVA, but I wouldn't bet money on it.
Additionnally, if your flight is cancelled, don't expect TP to rebook you onto other airlines.
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Last edited by tff; Nov 21, 2022 at 7:33 am
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Old Nov 21, 2022, 8:09 am
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Originally Posted by tff
If you really need to in MAD on that day, I'd book an alternative flight. MSL will be defined closer to the actual strike dates, but it is unlikely they'll include MAD. It'll probably include FNC, PDL, TER, and maybe SID or RAI, LAD, maybe MPM, and Brazil. It's possible it includes also some European destinations where there are big Portuguese communities, such as ORY or GVA, but I wouldn't bet money on it.
Additionnally, if your flight is cancelled, don't expect TP to rebook you onto other airlines.
Should have been more specific, apologies.

Flying TP FNC-LIS 09DEC morning, hence my question about MSLs. Then, on a separate booking I have an evening IB LIS-MAD. As long as I can make it to LIS on the 09DEC, I’ll find my way to MAD (worst case scenario there’s always a night bus). Issue is around leaving the island/arriving to the continent 😅

Anyway, thank you. I remain hopeful. EF shows all flights with no availability, so if the strike is eventually taking place, I suppose I can make it if there’s MSL for the FNC-LIS (either on my flight or rebooked onto one of the frequencies that will operate that day?)

AFAIK, only IB flies FNC-MAD couple of days a week in winter.
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Old Nov 21, 2022, 9:41 am
  #13  
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Originally Posted by 4lB3R70
Should have been more specific, apologies.

Flying TP FNC-LIS 09DEC morning, hence my question about MSLs. Then, on a separate booking I have an evening IB LIS-MAD. As long as I can make it to LIS on the 09DEC, I’ll find my way to MAD (worst case scenario there’s always a night bus). Issue is around leaving the island/arriving to the continent 😅

Anyway, thank you. I remain hopeful. EF shows all flights with no availability, so if the strike is eventually taking place, I suppose I can make it if there’s MSL for the FNC-LIS (either on my flight or rebooked onto one of the frequencies that will operate that day?)

AFAIK, only IB flies FNC-MAD couple of days a week in winter.
Let's hope that the existing bookings will fit in the frequency/ies that will actually operate... which isn't granted. Fingers crossed!
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Old Nov 21, 2022, 11:39 am
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I have a flight booked LIS to YYZ on December 9, so I also received the notice about the upcoming strike. I wanted to switch to another date, but three calls to the TAP call centre have ended in getting disconnected after 1 hr on hold. Unfortunately, the agents who eventually answer the call can't deal with Canadian tickets, so they put me on a second hold which drops after 30+ minutes.

Are there any other telephone numbers or communication channels I can try? If I drove out to the airport, would the agents there be able to deal with this? And is there any likelihood TP would rebook me on another airline (AC, UA, DL) on December 9?
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Old Nov 21, 2022, 1:11 pm
  #15  
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Originally Posted by vroom
I have a flight booked LIS to YYZ on December 9, so I also received the notice about the upcoming strike. I wanted to switch to another date, but three calls to the TAP call centre have ended in getting disconnected after 1 hr on hold. Unfortunately, the agents who eventually answer the call can't deal with Canadian tickets, so they put me on a second hold which drops after 30+ minutes.
Do you mean TAP sold you the ticket or it came via (e.g.) Air Canada? If it's a TAP ticket then the Canada number is 1-800-903-7914 , as per their website. There is a ticket desk in YYZ but usually they just handle on-the-day issues and may not be able to help in this scenario. At this stage TAP will move your flight, later on if it's cancelled then UA and jetBlue options will also be possible.
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