Air travel across Italy has been severely disrupted today, Friday, October 16, after a technical fault affecting the national air traffic control network reduced capacity by around 50 per cent, causing lengthy delays at major airports, including Milan Malpensa and Rome Fiumicino.
The disruption is also affecting Tuscany’s Florence Peretola and Pisa Galileo Galilei airports, where passengers face potential knock-on delays and cancellations. The situation has been compounded by a 24-hour strike by EasyJet cabin crew, adding further uncertainty for travellers.
Italy’s air navigation service provider, Enav, reported anomalies in the data transmission network supporting air traffic control services nationwide. The problems were first detected overnight, with the company ruling out malicious activity as the cause. According to Enav, contingency systems initially enabled normal operations to continue until 6am, without any reduction in operational capacity. As flight volumes increased later in the morning, however, restrictions became necessary. The company said it had prioritized departures during the early hours, including intercontinental services, by activating alternative data transmission systems.
What passengers need to know
Travellers departing are advised to check their flight status directly with their airline before travelling to the airport, as delays and cancellations may develop throughout the day.
The disruption comes alongside EasyJet’s 24-hour national strike, which may affect services across the airline’s network. The usual strike protection periods remain in force, from 7am to 10am and from 6pm to 9pm.
Under EU Regulation 261/2004, passengers whose flights are cancelled or significantly delayed are entitled to assistance from their airline, even when the disruption results from extraordinary circumstances. Depending on the circumstances and length of the delay, this can include meals and refreshments, transport and hotel accommodation where an overnight stay is necessary. In the event of a cancellation, airlines must also offer passengers a choice between reimbursement and rerouting to their final destination, subject to the applicable conditions. However, additional financial compensation of up to €600 per passenger is generally not payable when a cancellation or delay is caused by extraordinary circumstances beyond the airline’s control.
