A national strike by air traffic control workers at ENAV (Italy’s air navigation service provider) and its subsidiary Techno Sky has been called for Wednesday, 30 September 2026 from 13:00 to 17:00 local time. The action was called by the Uiltrasporti union and covers all Italian airports during the four-hour window.
In addition to the national notice, separate strike notices have been filed at four specific ENAV units: Bari, Bologna, Milan Linate, and the ENAV Rome headquarters. These local notices may extend disruptions beyond the 13:00–17:00 window at those facilities.
What a 4-Hour ATC Strike Means in Practice
Italian labour law requires air navigation service providers to maintain “essential services” — which means European Union regulations typically protect inbound international arrivals from cancellation during Italian ATC actions. Departures from Italian airports are more exposed, and domestic routes operate on a reduced guarantee.
In practice, what travellers should expect during a 4-hour strike window:
- Arrivals from outside Italy: likely to operate, though delays are possible due to slot compression and reduced flow-control capacity
- Departures from Italian airports during 13:00–17:00: at elevated risk of cancellation or significant delay, particularly on routes within the EU or on domestic Italian services
- Flights operating after 17:00: if the strike is withdrawn at 17:00 as filed, late-afternoon and evening departures should operate normally, but delay knock-on effects from earlier in the day typically persist for several hours
Which Airports Are Affected
The national ENAV action covers all airports with instrument flight procedures in Italy, including:
- Rome Fiumicino (FCO) and Rome Ciampino (CIA)
- Milan Malpensa (MXP) and Milan Linate (LIN)
- Venice Marco Polo (VCE)
- Naples Capodichino (NAP)
- Bologna Guglielmo Marconi (BLQ)
- All regional airports across the country
The separate Milan Linate and Bologna local notices mean those airports have a higher-than-average risk of disruption at the beginning and end of the strike window.
What Travellers Should Do
If you are flying to Italy on 30 September: monitor your airline’s flight status. Arrivals are generally protected, but air traffic flow delays may push arrival times later.
If you are flying from Italy on 30 September, particularly in the 11:00–19:00 range: check your airline’s rebooking policy. Under EU Regulation 261/2004, passengers on EU-operating carriers have the right to care (meals, accommodation) if a flight is cancelled or delayed beyond the thresholds — and in some cases, compensation, though strikes are commonly treated as “extraordinary circumstances” limiting the compensation obligation.
Many airlines begin issuing voluntary rebooking waivers for impacted flights in the days ahead of a confirmed strike. Check your carrier’s website now and rebook to an earlier or later departure if flexibility allows. If you cannot rebook and have pre-paid accommodation for the night of 30 September, travel insurance for Italy can cover disruption costs that airline waivers and EU261 do not.
Rome and Milan in Late September
If your schedule allows shifting your travel a day either side, 29 September or 1 October carry no known disruption. Rome in late September is still warm (average 22°C) with far fewer visitors than August. Northern Italy, including Milan and the lakes, is entering the best shoulder-season weather of the year.
For booking flights to Italy more broadly, including the best value windows and routing options, see our guide to flying to Italy. You can also search for flights to Italy directly to compare prices and available dates across carriers.