SATA Handling dispute brings inter-island mobility into focus
SATA Handling unions plan three-hour strikes at Azorean airports from 21 October to 3 November, opposing privatisation and seeking worker protections.
SITAVA and SINTAC have called strikes at SATA Handling from 21 October to 3 November 2026.
All Azorean airports are covered. Work stoppages run from 7:30am to 10:30am in the first week and 4pm to 7pm in the second.
The unions oppose the full sale, describing it as a regional decision rather than an EU requirement. They seek employment safeguards and protection for inter-island services.
In an archipelago, ground handling forms part of the chain of services that enables travel between islands. The dispute therefore matters beyond the company's workforce: it also concerns residents and visitors who rely on air transport to move around the Azores.
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