Italy’s largest aviation unions have called a 24-hour strike at ITA Airways for Friday 16 February 2026, warning that up to 220 domestic and international flights could be cancelled at Rome Fiumicino, Milan Linate, Milan Malpensa, Venice and Verona airports. Ground-handling staff at the two Milan airports and cabin crew at Vueling will hold parallel walk-outs. Under Italian law, ‘guaranteed service’ windows (07:00-10:00 and 18:00-21:00) must operate, but almost 70 per cent of ITA’s flights fall outside those slots. (euronews.com)
Travel disruption will not end there: rail-union federations have confirmed a separate 24-hour strike at state carrier Ferrovie dello Stato from 21:00 on 27 February to 20:59 on 28 February, affecting high-speed Frecce, Intercity and regional services. Although minimum-service timetables will run during commuter peaks, Trenitalia warns that cascading delays could last into 29 February.
For travellers needing to finalise entry documents amid these uncertainties, VisaHQ’s Italy page (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) offers a quick, fully online visa-application process and live alerts on travel disruptions. The platform’s concierge team can track strike developments and notify users of any schedule changes, helping both business and leisure visitors adjust their plans with confidence.
![Nationwide ITA Airways and rail strikes announced for mid-February threaten business travel]()
The actions stem from stalled wage talks and proposed changes to rostering rules that unions say undermine rest periods. Employers with mobile workforces should activate contingency plans— including flexible ticketing with rival carriers, remote-work options or rescheduling of client meetings— and advise staff to avoid tight flight-to-train connections.
Government mediators are pressing for last-minute deals, but if negotiations fail, the strikes will be Italy’s largest transport stoppage since June 2024. Travel-risk teams should monitor Ministry of Infrastructure notices and airline waiver policies, which may allow free rebooking within seven days of the strike dates.
In the longer term, repeated labour unrest risks eroding confidence in Italy’s connectivity at a time when the country is courting conferences and high-spend tourists ahead of the 2026 Cortina-Milano Winter Games. Corporate-mobility managers may need to diversify arrival hubs— such as Bologna or Florence— and build greater buffer time into itineraries.
Travel disruption will not end there: rail-union federations have confirmed a separate 24-hour strike at state carrier Ferrovie dello Stato from 21:00 on 27 February to 20:59 on 28 February, affecting high-speed Frecce, Intercity and regional services. Although minimum-service timetables will run during commuter peaks, Trenitalia warns that cascading delays could last into 29 February.
For travellers needing to finalise entry documents amid these uncertainties, VisaHQ’s Italy page (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) offers a quick, fully online visa-application process and live alerts on travel disruptions. The platform’s concierge team can track strike developments and notify users of any schedule changes, helping both business and leisure visitors adjust their plans with confidence.
The actions stem from stalled wage talks and proposed changes to rostering rules that unions say undermine rest periods. Employers with mobile workforces should activate contingency plans— including flexible ticketing with rival carriers, remote-work options or rescheduling of client meetings— and advise staff to avoid tight flight-to-train connections.
Government mediators are pressing for last-minute deals, but if negotiations fail, the strikes will be Italy’s largest transport stoppage since June 2024. Travel-risk teams should monitor Ministry of Infrastructure notices and airline waiver policies, which may allow free rebooking within seven days of the strike dates.
In the longer term, repeated labour unrest risks eroding confidence in Italy’s connectivity at a time when the country is courting conferences and high-spend tourists ahead of the 2026 Cortina-Milano Winter Games. Corporate-mobility managers may need to diversify arrival hubs— such as Bologna or Florence— and build greater buffer time into itineraries.
