Published on
September 6, 2025

Travel through France, Spain and Portugal this autumn is about to get messy as a wave of strike action is brewing in airports and across airlines. Baggage handlers, air traffic controllers and every other layer of airport support crew have already signalled walkouts for September 2025, and their decision will blanket every major tourist hub and spill across entire transport grids.

The timing could hardly be worse. Everyone thought September was the quiet period after the summer exodus, but a ballet of autumn culture and leisure travel was quietly assembling. That new wave of visitors to Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon and Porto now faces the same uncertainty. The autumn performance schedule, wine festivals and regional art installations are still on, but the flight calendar already looks dot-to-dot with cancellations, delays and sharply trimmed services.

Europe Tourism

France is the first to wave a flag: Paris-Orly, Charles de Gaulle and Nice Côte d’Azur will remain mostly functional, but every departing and arriving aircraft will find gaps of unreliable ground support and limited air traffic gaps because baggage handlers and some controllers will be on the picket line. Over on Spain’s coasts, operations will be no smoother. Madrid-Barajas Adolfo Suárez and Barcelona-El Prat will be similarly threadbare. Portugal, of course, cannot be left out; Lisbon and Porto airports are preparing for the same sluggish process.

Travellers to Spain, Portugal, and France are being urged to double-check their plans before heading to the airports. Spain’s Ministry of Transport is cautioning holidaymakers to continually review flight schedules and to keep in touch with airlines. Portugal’s tourism office is recommending that visitors build in extra time and explore alternative routes whenever they can. France’s DGAC, meanwhile, is urging anyone flying to hotspots like Paris, Nice, and Marseille to confirm baggage and check-in procedures, citing possible shortages of ground staff.

Efficient airport operations are crucial to the tourism sector in all three nations. France’s cultural tourism is booming, with millions lining up to tour Paris museums, Normandy battle sites, and the sunny resorts of the Côte d’Azur. Spain attracts large international crowds to its urban and beach hotspots, from Madrid’s grand plazas to Barcelona’s Mediterranean shoreline. Portugal, too, is seeing robust autumn bookings, with visitors heading to Lisbon’s streets, Porto’s wine caves, and the scenic Algarve coastline for city breaks, cultural explorations, and that well-timed sun holiday.

Airlines in the region

Air France, Iberia, TAP Air Portugal, along with Europe’s budget carriers, are reshuffling departure, arrival, and transit times after the recent strike advisories. Many are streamlining online check-in and enabling flexible fare rules to help passengers cope with potential disruptions. Travellers should visit the official portals of France’s DGAC, Spain’s Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda, and Portugal’s ANAC for the latest confirmation.

Hotels, tour operators, and national and regional tourism boards in France, Spain, and Portugal are keeping a close watch to help minimise traveller impact. In Paris, Barcelona, Lisbon, and Porto, the tourism infrastructure has proactively extended hotel check-in periods, adjusted group sightseeing itineraries, and coordinated with local transport to close communication gaps.

EASA, along with the managers of individual airports, is convening daily with carriers and labour representatives to contain the tourism fallout. Even if the strike reduces efficiency, the priority is maintaining the flow of international and domestic arrivals, and contingencies are already in place at all impacted facilities.

Stay informed when booking autumn getaways to France, Spain, and Portugal. Consider smoothing your journey with early arrivals, secondary airports, and transport connections with longer time buffers.

Conclusion

Visitors to Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon, Porto, and beyond are advised to double-check travel arrangements, to follow only authoritative advice from transport and tourism agencies, and to use online check-in and other digital enablers to ease queues. Major tour operators and hotel platforms are fielding dedicated advisory hotlines tailored to flight disruptions, giving crews and travellers quick access to rescheduling support.

To sum up, travel in France, Spain, and Portugal will be influenced by industrial action in September 2025, particularly hitting major airports and airline operations. National tourism offices, civil aviation regulators, and carriers are working together on plans to curb delays so that visitors can still enjoy museums, beaches, and city breaks here during the fall months.