The Arbitration Tribunal has ruled on another strike called by the Metallurgical and Related Industries Union (SIMA) at Menzies, the company that provides ground handling services for most airlines operating in Portugal, including TAP.

During the strike, called for Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays in October, all connections between the mainland and the islands, as well as 20% of international flights, must be guaranteed, a lower percentage than during the previous strike, according to a report by ECO.

SIMA issued a strike notice on September 30 for "the period from midnight on October 10, 2025, to midnight on October 12, 2025, from midnight on October 17, 2025, to midnight on October 19, 2025, and from midnight on October 24, to midnight on October 26, 2025."

This time, the Arbitration Tribunal was more restrained in defining minimum services. As of the end of August, 100% of flights between the mainland and the islands and 100% of inter-island flights must be guaranteed, but the requirement to operate flights between mainland airports has been dropped. The percentage of international flights that will require assistance drops from 35% to 20%.

As usual, TAP flights returning to Lisbon that make a night stopover on a foreign stopover at the start of each strike period must also be guaranteed, as well as all flights already in progress at the start of the strike. Emergency, military, and state flights will also have to be serviced.

Still, the services are more comprehensive than those decreed in July, when there was no "obligation to provide all ground handling services for each day of the strike for daily flights operated by airlines," resulting in a 20% percentage for international flights. Only one connection to the islands had to be guaranteed.

The Arbitration Court's ruling, released this Tuesday by the Economic and Social Council, was unanimously approved by the presiding arbitrator and those representing the workers and the employer. According to Menzies, the strikes called by SIMA had a very limited impact.