Rome Fiumicino Airport. Photo: SHUTTERSTOCK Travelers flying in Italy this September face several rounds of aviation strikes, with airport staff, airline personnel and air navigation workers scheduled to walk out at airports and aviation facilities across the country.
The busiest disruption is currently concentrated around September 13, when separate strikes are planned at Rome's airports, airports in Tuscany and Sardinia, as well as a nationwide action involving easyJet personnel. A further round of aviation strikes is scheduled for September 30, when ENAV and Techno Sky staff are due to strike for four hours.
The September 13 action will affect several important airports.
At Rome Fiumicino and Ciampino, ADR Security personnel are scheduled to strike for 24 hours, from 00:00 to 23:59. Aviation Services staff at the two Rome airports are also scheduled to strike for four hours, from 11:00 to 15:00.
Passengers flying with easyJet face a separate nationwide strike involving the airline's flight personnel. The action is scheduled to last 24 hours, from midnight until 23:59. Flights to and from Cagliari are subject to a specific four-hour period from 11:00 to 15:00.
Tuscany will also be affected. Personnel from Toscana Aeroporti, GH Toscana and Consulta operating at Pisa and Florence airports are scheduled to strike from 11:00 to 15:00. The official register lists actions by both USB Lavoro Privato and CUB Trasporti.
Sardinia is likely to be one of the most affected areas on September 13.
At Cagliari Elmas, SOGAER, SOGAER Security and SOGAERDYN personnel are scheduled to strike from 13:00 to 17:00. A separate four-hour action involving SOGAER group personnel is listed from 11:00 to 15:00.
At Alghero Airport, SOGEAAL personnel are scheduled for a 24-hour strike, running from midnight until 23:59.
At Olbia Airport, GEASAR personnel are also scheduled to strike for 24 hours, from 00:00 to 23:59.
There is also a longer-running measure involving SOGAER group personnel at Cagliari, with an abstention from overtime and supplementary work scheduled from September 8 through September 30. This is separate from the four-hour strike on September 13.
A second wave of aviation disruption is scheduled for September 30.
The official register lists a nationwide four-hour ENAV strike from 13:00 to 17:00, alongside a nationwide Techno Sky strike during the same period. Techno Sky provides technological systems and maintenance services supporting air navigation operations.
Additional local ENAV actions are scheduled at Bologna and Bari airports, also from 13:00 to 17:00.
In Rome, ENAV personnel at the company's Via Appia Nuova 1491 site are scheduled to strike from 13:00 to 17:00. Another action involving ASPP personnel at ENAV's central Rome headquarters is listed for the last four hours of the working day.
The strikes do not mean that every flight will be canceled. The impact will depend on which employees participate, the airport involved and how airlines and air traffic services adjust their operations.
However, passengers could face delays, cancellations, schedule changes and longer processing times, particularly during the hours covered by the strikes.
Things to Do
-Check directly with the airline: The airline's official website and app are the main source of information about flight status. Check your flight using the booking number, and keep monitoring it as you get closer to the departure date.
-Know the protected hours: Even during strikes, there are time windows in Italy when flights are protected from disruption, usually between 7:00 AM and 10:00 AM and between 6:00 PM and 9:00 PM. However, check the guidelines for the specific strike and your flight date.
-Keep all receipts: In the event of a delay or cancellation, passengers may have different rights, depending on the circumstances. If you have incurred unexpected expenses, such as accommodation, food or alternative transportation, it is recommended to keep receipts and relevant documents for verification with the airline