October is the peak of shoulder season — the transitional period between peak and off-peak — where there are fewer crowds and more affordable flights and accommodation.
It’s also a time when unbearable 40°C in hotspots like Seville and Lisbon shift to more comfortable temperatures.
Families without kids, or those with children outside of school age, prefer to travel during this time, too, as it allows them to soak up the last of the summer sun without overspending.
However, travellers heading to popular European countries such as Spain, Italy, Portugal and France this month should double-check their bookings.
Several strikes have been confirmed, including one on home soil at a UK airport (though that has since been called off).
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Worried about your holiday? The Metro Travel team has rounded up all the strikes set to take place from now until the end of the month, and beyond.
Spain
Azul Handling, the company that provides ground handling services to Ryanair Group airlines at several Spanish airports, have been striking since August 15.
Over 3,000 workers in Spain began campaigning for increased pay, better working conditions, job security, and medical leave. Disputes with overtime were brought up, too.
Staff will stage strikes from 5am to 9am every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday until December 31.
Canarian Weekly has said Ryanair’s 12 Spanish bases will be affected: Alicante, Barcelona, Girona, Ibiza, Lanzarote, Madrid, Málaga, Palma de Mallorca, Santiago de Compostela, Sevilla, Tenerife South, and Valencia.
The outlet said that while the airports aren’t officially part of the strikes, schedules could experience knock-on delays and cancellations.
However, Ryanair insists there will be no disruption to travellers. The airline said: ‘We do not expect any interruption to our operations as a result of these third-party strikes in Spain.’
UK
Passengers travelling through Bournemouth Airport were set to face major disruption due to a series of strikes planned for 30 September, 1 October, 16 October and 17 October.
Around 80 members of the Unite trade union, who work in different areas of the airport, including baggage handling, check-in, flight dispatching and plane fuelling, were ready to walk out after they rejected a new pay offer.
But hours before, the action was suspended after the board of the airport came back with an improved offer.
Bournemouth Airport serves over 950,000 passengers each year, with flights to 34 destinations across Europe and North Africa. Most are operated by airlines such as TUI and Ryanair.
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France
French air traffic controllers have called off their upcoming strikes, sparing travellers across Europe from serious disruption.
France’s biggest air traffic control union, the SNCTA, was due to strike from the morning of Tuesday, 7 October, until the morning of Friday, 10 October.
On Saturday, a spokesperson said it would halt its forthcoming industrial action following agreements and the French prime minister’s postponement of the French finance bill parliamentary debate.
The SNCTA told AFP it had ‘made progress on internal issues’ and held ‘calm discussions with all parties involved,’ without providing further details.
The walkout had been due to take place in September, but it was cancelled due to the recent collapse of the French government after Prime Minister Francois Bayrou received a vote of no confidence in Parliament.
However, things may change. On Monday morning, France’s new Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu resigned — after less than a month in the job.
Mr Lecornu’s resignation comes hours after he appointed his cabinet, and after political rivals threatened to topple his government.
France is in the midst of a political deadlock. Lecornu was Macron’s seventh PM.
He was appointed on 9 September amid a political crisis when his predecessor, François Bayrou, was dramatically ousted over proposed budget cuts.
Portugal
The Portuguese strikes were shaping up to be more complex, as they were due to continue periodically for the rest of the year and into January 2026.
But in good news for travellers, the 76-day action by Menzies Aviation ground staff has just been called off.
On Thursday, the workers voted to cancel the strike, saying the imposed minimum service requirements made it impossible to exercise their right to strike effectively.
They had been calling for increased pay, better working conditions, employee parking, and night shift compensation. Plus, fulfilment of previously agreed working terms.
The industrial action had been called by SIMA (the Union of Metal and Related Industries) and STA (the Transport Union), targeting Menzies (formerly Groundforce), the company responsible for ground handling services at Portuguese airports.
However, Portugal’s Arbitration Court, under the Economic and Social Council, ruled that minimum service levels had to be maintained.
SIMA hit back, calling the decision a ‘real attack on the right to strike of Portuguese workers in general and of that company in particular’.
Italy
To protect holiday travel, strikes are banned during the peak summer season from late July to early September.
But now that the window is over, it’s fair game. On September 26, a 24-hour walkout paralysed Italian air travel, as several aviation strikes took place at once.
Organised by the transport union CUB Trasporti, baggage handlers, ground staff, and crew with the Spanish carrier Volotea and Wizz Air Malta downed tools.
Security staff at Sardinia’s Cagliari Elmas Airport also walked out for 24 hours.
Milan’s Malpensa and Linate airports were the hardest hit, with dozens of flights delayed and cancelled.
The strikes are a response to disputes over working conditions, staffing levels across Italy’s transport sector, and pay disagreements.
Last month, cities across Italy ground to a standstill as workers staged a sweeping general strike in support of Gaza.
Railway, port and local public transport networks were severely disrupted until 11pm, across several cities including Rome, Naples, and Milan.
Metro has contacted Ryanair for comment.
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