Italy’s largest federations of air-transport unions have announced a nationwide 24-hour strike scheduled for Monday, 26 February, and a second walk-out on Friday, 7 March. The strike, initiated by the Air Traffic Trade Association and supported by ground-handling, cabin-crew, and pilot unions, could significantly impact air travel across Italy’s key airports, including Rome Fiumicino, Milan Malpensa, Linate, Venice Marco Polo, and Verona. The disruptions are expected to lead to widespread cancellations, affecting potentially over 270,000 passengers, according to estimates from AirHelp.
The strike will commence at 00:01 and conclude at 24:00 local time on each date. While Italy’s minimum-service laws mandate protected services during peak hours, airlines caution that cancellations and crew re-rostering may cascade through the network, causing extensive travel delays. The unions are demanding a 6% wage increase to match inflation, whereas management has offered only a 2.8% rise. Additionally, they are seeking guarantees on rest periods under new European flight time limitations, which Italy plans to adopt by April.
Impacts and Travel Advice
Travelers should verify passport and visa requirements beforehand. VisaHQ provides an Italy portal with tools such as instant eligibility checks and expedited processing options to mitigate delays caused by potential last-minute rescheduling. Under EU261 regulations, passengers on canceled flights are entitled to re-routing or refunds, but strike-related disruptions qualify as "extraordinary circumstances," limiting compensation. Companies are advised to prepare contingency plans, including issuing travel advisories and maintaining proper duty-of-care documentation, in anticipation of possible disruptions.
Ultimately, travelers are encouraged to monitor updates from their airlines and relevant authorities to ensure smooth transit during this period, and to consider flexible travel arrangements wherever possible.
