Italy’s leading consumer association Codacons has lodged a formal complaint with both the national competition authority (AGCM) and the civil-aviation regulator ENAC, charging that several airlines systematically inflate published flight durations to avoid paying EU compensation for delays. The 29 December 2025 filing cites differences of up to 70 minutes on long-haul routes such as Rome–Miami and up to 25 minutes on short-haul services.
The practice—known in the industry as “schedule padding”—gives carriers a buffer that makes on-time-performance statistics look better and, more importantly, keeps arrivals inside the three-hour delay threshold that triggers EU 261/2004 compensation. Codacons argues that the tactic constitutes an unfair commercial practice because passengers pay for longer block times and are discouraged from lodging valid claims.
While this dispute focuses on airline scheduling rather than border formalities, travelers can still spare themselves extra headaches by ensuring their documents are in perfect order. VisaHQ’s platform (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) offers fast, reliable visa and passport processing for Italian passengers, providing real-time updates and expert checks so that any rebooking, compensation claim, or last-minute itinerary change isn’t derailed by missing paperwork.
![Consumer group files Antitrust complaint alleging airlines ‘pad’ scheduled flight times]()
Regulatory context: ENAC already monitors punctuality but has never sanctioned airlines for schedule padding. AGCM’s involvement could expand the investigation to cover misleading advertising and possible collusion if multiple carriers adjust schedules in lock-step.
Impact on mobility managers: If regulators agree with Codacons, airlines could be forced to re-publish realistic block times or face hefty fines, potentially reducing buffer times and increasing the risk of statistically reportable delays. Corporate travel managers should review service-level agreements and consider adding clauses that track “gate-to-gate” rather than “scheduled” time to ensure accurate KPIs.
Next steps: AGCM has 180 days to decide whether to open a full investigation; ENAC can carry out independent technical audits sooner. Codacons says it will also pursue a class-action suit seeking automatic partial refunds for inflated schedules. The aviation lobby maintains that buffers are essential for operational resilience in congested European airspace.
The practice—known in the industry as “schedule padding”—gives carriers a buffer that makes on-time-performance statistics look better and, more importantly, keeps arrivals inside the three-hour delay threshold that triggers EU 261/2004 compensation. Codacons argues that the tactic constitutes an unfair commercial practice because passengers pay for longer block times and are discouraged from lodging valid claims.
While this dispute focuses on airline scheduling rather than border formalities, travelers can still spare themselves extra headaches by ensuring their documents are in perfect order. VisaHQ’s platform (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) offers fast, reliable visa and passport processing for Italian passengers, providing real-time updates and expert checks so that any rebooking, compensation claim, or last-minute itinerary change isn’t derailed by missing paperwork.
Regulatory context: ENAC already monitors punctuality but has never sanctioned airlines for schedule padding. AGCM’s involvement could expand the investigation to cover misleading advertising and possible collusion if multiple carriers adjust schedules in lock-step.
Impact on mobility managers: If regulators agree with Codacons, airlines could be forced to re-publish realistic block times or face hefty fines, potentially reducing buffer times and increasing the risk of statistically reportable delays. Corporate travel managers should review service-level agreements and consider adding clauses that track “gate-to-gate” rather than “scheduled” time to ensure accurate KPIs.
Next steps: AGCM has 180 days to decide whether to open a full investigation; ENAC can carry out independent technical audits sooner. Codacons says it will also pursue a class-action suit seeking automatic partial refunds for inflated schedules. The aviation lobby maintains that buffers are essential for operational resilience in congested European airspace.
