October 16, 2026 — easyJet’s crews in Italy are on a 24-hour national strike today, and the day got harder when a technical fault in Italy’s air traffic control network forced capacity cuts of about half at the country’s busiest airports.
What happened
The strike runs from 00:00 to 23:59 Italian time on Friday, October 16. It was called by USB Lavoro Privato, the private-sector arm of the Unione Sindacale di Base union, and covers easyJet flight personnel across Italy. Reports describe both pilots and cabin crew as taking part.
The dispute is over a company contract renewal signed on September 15, which other unions backed in an internal vote. USB says the vote results were published late, that its request to observe the vote was refused, and that the deal weakens staff entitlement to the 13th-month salary payment. It also calls the pay increases limited.
Italy’s aviation authority, ENAC, set protected windows when flights must operate: 07:00–10:00 and 18:00–21:00 local time. It also named five easyJet flights that must run as a minimum service:
| Flight | Route |
|---|---|
| EJU4115 | Naples – Olbia |
| EJU4116 | Olbia – Naples |
| EJU3599 | Milan Malpensa – Lampedusa |
| EJU3600 | Lampedusa – Milan Malpensa |
| EJU3897 | Milan Malpensa – Sharm El Sheikh |
Outside those windows, flights may still run if easyJet has enough crew. No official nationwide cancellation total has been published (TBA). One travel site reports about 200 UK easyJet flights to Rome and Milan were cancelled, but it does not name a primary source for that figure.
Air traffic control fault adds to the pressure
Separately, Italy’s air navigation provider ENAV reported problems with its data transmission network that were first detected overnight. ENAV said it had ruled out malicious activity. Backup systems kept traffic normal until 6 a.m., but capacity was then cut by around 50% as traffic built. Milan Malpensa and Rome Fiumicino saw long delays, and Florence and Pisa could see knock-on delays and cancellations. No time for a full fix has been published (TBA).
Workers at Toscana Aeroporti, GH Toscana and Consulta at Pisa and Florence airports, and staff at Poste Air Cargo, also had separate strikes called for today.
What it means for non-revs
- If you are trying to get to or from Italy on easyJet today, expect few open seats. Passengers from cancelled flights will be pushed onto whatever operates, mostly in the 07:00–10:00 and 18:00–21:00 windows.
- Rebooked passengers will also spill onto other carriers’ Rome and Milan flights through the weekend, so expect heavier loads than normal on Italy flights from the UK for the next day or two.
- The ATC fault affects every airline in Italian airspace, not just easyJet. Allow extra time for connections in Rome and Milan today, and have a backup plan.
Sources
- Wanted in Rome — Strikes to disrupt air travel in Italy on 16 October
- InTrieste — EasyJet Strike Could Disrupt Flights Across Italy on Friday
- Rus Tourism News — Italy easyJet Strike October 16: Guaranteed Flights and Passenger Rights
- Travel Tourister — Italy Aviation Strike October 16: ENAV Action Called Off, easyJet Strike Remains
- The Florentine — Technical fault cuts Italy’s air traffic capacity by half, disrupting flights across Tuscany
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