Political temperature spiked on 15 February when Transport Minister Matteo Salvini publicly warned he would “stop them myself” if unions proceeded with a 16 February airline strike that threatened to strand Olympic delegations. Hours later, six unions – including CGIL’s transport arm and independent Cub Trasporti – issued a joint communiqué agreeing to shift the 24-hour protest to 26 February.
The face-saving deal followed an emergency round of talks at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and an explicit precettazione order citing Article 8 of Law 146/1990 (the Italian equivalent of ‘minimum service’ legislation). Union leader Maurizio Landini accused the government of “repression” and warned that limiting the right to strike sets a dangerous precedent, especially with collective bargaining for 50,000 aviation workers still stalled.
For international delegations and business travellers who may still face last-minute itinerary changes, making sure travel documents are fully compliant is just as important as monitoring flight status. VisaHQ’s platform (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) can fast-track Italian visa or passport services for athletes, media teams and corporate staff, providing real-time updates and expert support that help organisations stay agile when sudden strikes force rerouting or new entry points.
![Government-Union Clash Over Olympic Flight Strike Defused as Walkout Postponed]()
For large multinationals hosting clients during the Games, the postponement averts immediate chaos – Milan-Linate and Venice-Marco Polo had projected a 60 % cancellation rate on 16 February. However, the dispute is far from resolved: if talks fail, the 26 February strike could coincide with peak Paralympic arrivals, and an additional stop is pencilled in for 7 March.
Travel managers are advised to keep automated flight trackers switched on, issue flexible-ticket guidance and confirm that mobile employees understand Italy’s statutory compensation rules (Regulation EC 261/2004) should cancellations occur. VIP or crew-change charters may need early slot requests, as ENAC could prioritise Olympic traffic over private operations on strike day.
From a policy standpoint, Salvini has floated amending strike law to create a “golden period” during mega-events – a proposal that would echo French provisions during the Paris 2024 Games and could have a lasting impact on mobility planning for Expo 2030 in Rome.
The face-saving deal followed an emergency round of talks at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and an explicit precettazione order citing Article 8 of Law 146/1990 (the Italian equivalent of ‘minimum service’ legislation). Union leader Maurizio Landini accused the government of “repression” and warned that limiting the right to strike sets a dangerous precedent, especially with collective bargaining for 50,000 aviation workers still stalled.
For international delegations and business travellers who may still face last-minute itinerary changes, making sure travel documents are fully compliant is just as important as monitoring flight status. VisaHQ’s platform (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) can fast-track Italian visa or passport services for athletes, media teams and corporate staff, providing real-time updates and expert support that help organisations stay agile when sudden strikes force rerouting or new entry points.
For large multinationals hosting clients during the Games, the postponement averts immediate chaos – Milan-Linate and Venice-Marco Polo had projected a 60 % cancellation rate on 16 February. However, the dispute is far from resolved: if talks fail, the 26 February strike could coincide with peak Paralympic arrivals, and an additional stop is pencilled in for 7 March.
Travel managers are advised to keep automated flight trackers switched on, issue flexible-ticket guidance and confirm that mobile employees understand Italy’s statutory compensation rules (Regulation EC 261/2004) should cancellations occur. VIP or crew-change charters may need early slot requests, as ENAC could prioritise Olympic traffic over private operations on strike day.
From a policy standpoint, Salvini has floated amending strike law to create a “golden period” during mega-events – a proposal that would echo French provisions during the Paris 2024 Games and could have a lasting impact on mobility planning for Expo 2030 in Rome.
