Italy Airport Strikes 2026: Current Status, Dates & Traveller Advice

One airline action outside ItalyMonday 14 SeptemberNo Italian aviation strike is in progressThe eight Italian airport and easyJet cabin-crew filings ended on 13 September.Italy clear todayeasyJet flights arriving from FrancePilots at easyJet’s French bases, called by SNPL, remain scheduled to strike through 14 September; no withdrawal was found.Through 23:59 todayWhat to do: fly as booked unless your journey uses easyJet from a French base. For those flights, check the airline before leaving for the airport. The next Italian aviation strike is the nationwide ENAV action on 30 September.One airline, nationwideThursday 15 OctobereasyJet flights within and from ItalyFlight crew at easyJet Airlines Limited, called nationwide by USB Lavoro Privato.00:00 to 23:59What to do: this is the airline’s own crew, so check your flight and alternatives directly with easyJet. The protected 07:00 to 10:00 and 18:00 to 21:00 bands still apply. If your flight is cancelled or arrives at least three hours late, eligible passengers may also be due cash compensation.Nationwide air traffic controlWednesday 30 SeptemberItaly, nationwideENAV air traffic controllers and Techno Sky engineers, called by UILT-UIL. ENAV runs Italian airspace, so this is the filing with the widest reach on the calendar.13:00 to 17:00Milan Linate, Bologna and Bari control units (LIN, BLQ, BRI)Local ENAV units filing alongside the national action, which tends to deepen the effect at those three airports.13:00 to 17:00ENAV head office, RomeAdministrative and procurement staff, last four hours of the working day. No direct effect on flights.Last 4 hoursWhat to do: book the morning, not the afternoon. This one is air traffic control, so it reaches flights that only cross Italy without landing: a UK or Ireland departure to Greece, Malta, Cyprus or Turkey can be delayed or cancelled on a day when nothing is wrong at either airport. Move an afternoon flight to a morning slot if your fare allows it.Filed, no aviation windowFriday 2 OctoberItaly, nationwide, multi-sectorA public and private sector strike called by CSLE, of up to 24 hours. The filing sets rail at 11:00 to 14:00 and leaves maritime unspecified. No aviation hours are stated at all.Not specified for flightsWhat to do: nothing yet. Because no aviation window has been filed, do not rebook around this date. Re-check the register in the week before you travel, and allow extra time for the train or coach to the airport, since the rail stoppage is specified.Flights excludedFriday 30 OctoberItaly, nationwide general strikeA full-day general strike of public and private employees called by USI-CIT. The filing explicitly excludes air transport, rail, local public transport and maritime, so flights and the trains to the airport are outside it.Full day, transport excludedWhat to do: fly as booked. This is worth knowing about precisely because a general strike sounds worse than it is: the union carved transport out of this one, so it should not touch your flight. Museums, schools and public offices are a different matter if you are sightseeing that day.Nationwide air traffic controlFriday 6 November, the last date filedItaly, nationwideENAV air traffic controllers, called by FILT-CGIL and UGL-TA. A different pair of unions from the 30 September action, over the same dispute.13:00 to 17:00Bari control unit (BRI)Local ENAV unit, called by FAST-CONFSAL-AV.13:00 to 17:00What to do: the same rule as 30 September. A morning departure is the safer half of the day, and the protected band runs to 10:00. This is the last filing on the register as it stands, which is the limit of what has been declared rather than a promise that nothing follows.

What happened to your flight?

No payoutNothing to claim in cashUnder three hours late, no compensation is due whoever walked out. Ask the airline for food and drink once the wait passes two hours on a short flight, and keep the receipts if you buy your own. This is the likely outcome of a short delay during the 30 September or 6 November ENAV actions.No payout, care dueThe airline still has to look after youA walkout by airport staff, a ground handler or ENAV air traffic control is treated as outside the airline’s control, so no cash is due. Meals and drinks are owed while you wait, and a hotel with transfers if you are kept overnight. That covers the 30 September and 6 November ENAV strikes.Refund or re-routeChoose one, and say which in writingYou can take your money back or a seat on another flight, including on a rival carrier where that is the earliest option. No cash on top, because the cause sits outside the airline’s control. Before you accept a voucher, check whether your flight was on ENAC’s guaranteed list for that strike: a protected flight that was cancelled anyway is worth querying.No payoutNothing to claim yetThe three-hour threshold has not been crossed, so no cash is due even though the airline’s own staff walked out. Ask for food and drink once the wait passes two hours on a short flight, and keep every receipt in case the delay grows.Claim itCash is due on top of careEurope’s top court has ruled that a strike by an airline’s own staff sits inside its control, so the usual excuse does not apply. Arriving three hours or more late pays EUR 250 to EUR 600 by distance flown, or GBP 220 to GBP 520 on a UK flight. This is the 15 October easyJet case in Italy, and it is the only action on this calendar that pays.Claim itTake the refund first, then claimSort out a refund or a re-route on the day, then file separately for the cash. It is due unless the airline warned you at least fourteen days ahead, or got you there close to your original time. EUR 250 to EUR 600, or GBP 220 to GBP 520 on a UK flight. The 15 October easyJet flight-crew strike was filed more than fourteen days out, so a cancellation notified early may not pay: check the date you were told.