A nationwide strike in Portugal on 11 December forced Etihad Airways to cancel flights EY099/100 between Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport and Lisbon and led Emirates to drop its four daily Dubai–Lisbon rotations (EK191/192 and EK193/194). The industrial action, the most disruptive since 2013, paralysed Portuguese airport operations and stranded thousands of passengers at the start of the holiday rush.
Etihad urged affected travellers to update contact details and use its support channels for rebooking, while Emirates blocked through-ticketed passengers from boarding at origin points. Travel insurers report a spike in disruption claims as missed connections ripple across Europe-Gulf-Australia itineraries.
![Etihad, Emirates cancel Abu Dhabi-Lisbon services as Portugal general strike hits UAE travellers]()
For passengers suddenly needing fresh Schengen visas or transit authorisations on short notice, VisaHQ can help smooth the paperwork maze. Its UAE-focused portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) provides rapid online applications, real-time status tracking and expert document checks—an advantage for Gulf-based travellers now rerouting through Madrid, Casablanca or other Schengen gateways.
Corporate mobility teams with time-critical meetings in Lusophone Africa are re-routing via Madrid and Casablanca, adding visa-check complexity. Portuguese unions CGTP and UGT called the strike over labour-law reforms; further walkouts are possible, prompting risk-management firms to flag Lisbon as a ‘monitor closely’ station through Q1 2026.
Practically, travellers should confirm that multi-entry Schengen visas cover alternative routings and ensure hotel vouchers meet EU261 compensation rules. UAE carriers advise arriving passengers into Dubai and Abu Dhabi that onward seats are tight until schedules normalise.
Etihad urged affected travellers to update contact details and use its support channels for rebooking, while Emirates blocked through-ticketed passengers from boarding at origin points. Travel insurers report a spike in disruption claims as missed connections ripple across Europe-Gulf-Australia itineraries.
For passengers suddenly needing fresh Schengen visas or transit authorisations on short notice, VisaHQ can help smooth the paperwork maze. Its UAE-focused portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) provides rapid online applications, real-time status tracking and expert document checks—an advantage for Gulf-based travellers now rerouting through Madrid, Casablanca or other Schengen gateways.
Corporate mobility teams with time-critical meetings in Lusophone Africa are re-routing via Madrid and Casablanca, adding visa-check complexity. Portuguese unions CGTP and UGT called the strike over labour-law reforms; further walkouts are possible, prompting risk-management firms to flag Lisbon as a ‘monitor closely’ station through Q1 2026.
Practically, travellers should confirm that multi-entry Schengen visas cover alternative routings and ensure hotel vouchers meet EU261 compensation rules. UAE carriers advise arriving passengers into Dubai and Abu Dhabi that onward seats are tight until schedules normalise.
