Upcoming Italian and Spanish weekend strikes could ruin thousands of holiday plans
Thousands of travelers can see the summer vacation plans that are chaotic this weekend due to planning an Italian strike.
Airport workers will conduct a four-hour strike nationwide on July 26, potentially resulting in dozens of flight delays and cancellations.
The need for improved safety, better working conditions and work-life balance, and renewal of national contracts are driving such industrial action.
Where will the strike affect flights?
Large airlines such as EasyJet, Ryanair, British Airways, Wizz Air, Tui, Volotea and Ita Airways, may be affected as luggage handlers, ground staff and airport workers are expected to leave at each major Italian airport from 1pm to 5pm on Saturday.
These include Milan Malpensa, Milan Linate, Rome Fiumicino, Florence, Naples and Venice Airport. At Milan Linate Airport, Swiss Port Gate Services and check-in staff will also go on strike.
Earlier this month, the Italian strike caused 73 in-and-out flights and was cancelled within a day. These include flights from Milan Linate, Milan Malpensa, Venice Marco Polo and Naples.
Spanish flights are also likely to be affected this weekend, as budget Spanish airline Volotea crew and pilots also went on strike on Saturday. This could have a wide impact on major air travel routes in Europe. The airline currently flies to more than 100 European cities.
What can travelers do?
While these upcoming strikes will undoubtedly cause you inconvenience, there are steps travelers can take to stay prepared and get a better understanding.
This includes checking official strike information on the Italian Ministry of Transport website, as well as asking about the latest updates for specific airlines and airports. Passengers are also advised to confirm their flight status before leaving the airport.
If the travel plan cannot be changed on the strike date, avoiding the rush hour to the airport and having enough time to arrive can also help.
Under Italian law, minimum service levels are required during strike operations, which ensures that certain flights operate as usual. Flights planned between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. are usually under these regulations and may not be affected.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Italy (ENAC) has also released a list of guaranteed flights where travelers can check for alternative arrangements. Flights to certain islands, such as Sardinia, Sicily and Lampedusa, are also usually excluded from strikes.
In some cases, travelers may be entitled to compensation.
“Under EU Regulation 261/2004, passengers may be eligible for compensation when a passenger’s journey is caused by an airline’s own employees (such as a planned Volotea employee strike). This is because such instances are considered in the airline’s responsibility as the Legal Legal Legulet of Legal Legard Kovacheva, Skyrefund.
She added: “Depending on their flight distance, Volotea passengers who have been delayed or cancelled in a short time due to such industrial litigation may be entitled to compensation of £250 to £520 (453.2 euros).
