by InTrieste
Travelers across Italy are likely to face significant disruptions on Sunday, July 5, as a series of coordinated strikes involving airport workers, air traffic controllers, security personnel and airline crews affect some of the country’s busiest airports.
The industrial action is expected to impact operations at Milan Malpensa, Rome’s Fiumicino and Ciampino airports, and Catania’s Fontanarossa airport, with delays and cancellations anticipated throughout the day.
The largest strike has been called by the transport union Cub Trasporti, which has announced a 24-hour nationwide walkout involving ground handling staff, aircraft refueling personnel and baggage handlers. The action coincides with separate strikes affecting air traffic control, airport security and cabin crews, increasing the likelihood of widespread disruption.
At Milan Malpensa, air traffic controllers employed by ENAV are scheduled to stage a 24-hour strike beginning just after midnight and lasting until midnight. A separate four-hour work stoppage involving ENAV personnel is also planned from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Because the Milan Area Control Center manages airspace across much of northern Italy, the action could affect not only flights departing from and arriving at Malpensa but also aircraft transiting the region.
Low-cost carrier easyJet is also expected to be affected after unions called separate 24-hour strikes involving the airline’s pilots and cabin crew, scheduled to run from midnight until 11:59 p.m.
Italy’s civil aviation authority, ENAC, has reminded passengers that flights are protected during two daily time windows—between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m., and again from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.—when airlines are required to operate scheduled services despite strike action.
Passengers traveling on July 5 are advised to check the status of their flights with their airline before leaving for the airport.
Travelers whose flights are canceled are entitled under applicable passenger rights regulations to choose between a full refund or rebooking on the next available flight to their destination. Official updates on the strike action are available through Italy’s Ministry of Transport.
