Air travel in Italy faced major disruption on 29 October 2025 as multiple unions staged a coordinated 24-hour strike involving cabin crew, ground-handling staff and cleaning contractors at the country’s busiest airports. The walk-out hit Milan-Linate, Milan-Malpensa, Pisa and Florence hardest, while a four-hour stoppage affected Vueling flight attendants and Air France-KLM ground staff nationwide. Swissport and Airport Handling personnel in Lombardy downed tools for the full day, forcing airlines to cancel or reschedule dozens of domestic and European services.
Under Italy’s strike-mitigation law, “fasce di garanzia” protected flights between 07:00-10:00 and 18:00-21:00, as well as emergency, state and island-connectivity services. Nonetheless, business travellers reported queues at security and re-ticketing desks as carriers issued travel waivers. Trade groups estimate that up to 35,000 passengers—many returning from the EU-wide All Saints long weekend—were affected.
The industrial action highlights simmering labour tensions in Italy’s aviation sector. Unions are pressing for wage alignment with inflation, better rostering and limits on outsourcing of ramp services. Employers argue that post-pandemic recovery remains fragile: while passenger volumes at Malpensa have surpassed 2019 levels, higher energy and staff costs continue to squeeze margins. Negotiations are scheduled to resume at the Ministry of Labour on 4 November; failure to reach agreement could trigger further stoppages during the peak Christmas travel period.
From a mobility-management perspective, the strike underscores the importance of contingency planning. Companies with assignees entering or leaving Italy were advised to book flights inside protected time-bands, leverage rail alternatives such as Trenitalia’s high-speed Frecciarossa, and verify EU 261 compensation rights. Immigration lawyers also warned that missed connecting flights could jeopardise short-stay Schengen allowances now monitored digitally under the new Entry/Exit System.
Airports themselves are accelerating automation to cope with future disruptions. Milan-Malpensa has advanced the installation of additional self-bag-drop units, while Rome-Fiumicino is trialling AI-driven queue-management alerts via WhatsApp. Stakeholders hope that technology—combined with a fresh labour agreement—will minimise fallout from any repeat strikes in the busy 2026 Winter-Olympics year.
Under Italy’s strike-mitigation law, “fasce di garanzia” protected flights between 07:00-10:00 and 18:00-21:00, as well as emergency, state and island-connectivity services. Nonetheless, business travellers reported queues at security and re-ticketing desks as carriers issued travel waivers. Trade groups estimate that up to 35,000 passengers—many returning from the EU-wide All Saints long weekend—were affected.
The industrial action highlights simmering labour tensions in Italy’s aviation sector. Unions are pressing for wage alignment with inflation, better rostering and limits on outsourcing of ramp services. Employers argue that post-pandemic recovery remains fragile: while passenger volumes at Malpensa have surpassed 2019 levels, higher energy and staff costs continue to squeeze margins. Negotiations are scheduled to resume at the Ministry of Labour on 4 November; failure to reach agreement could trigger further stoppages during the peak Christmas travel period.
From a mobility-management perspective, the strike underscores the importance of contingency planning. Companies with assignees entering or leaving Italy were advised to book flights inside protected time-bands, leverage rail alternatives such as Trenitalia’s high-speed Frecciarossa, and verify EU 261 compensation rights. Immigration lawyers also warned that missed connecting flights could jeopardise short-stay Schengen allowances now monitored digitally under the new Entry/Exit System.
Airports themselves are accelerating automation to cope with future disruptions. Milan-Malpensa has advanced the installation of additional self-bag-drop units, while Rome-Fiumicino is trialling AI-driven queue-management alerts via WhatsApp. Stakeholders hope that technology—combined with a fresh labour agreement—will minimise fallout from any repeat strikes in the busy 2026 Winter-Olympics year.
