Italian travellers face the first industrial action of 2026 as employees of major ground-handling companies and several low-cost carriers plan to down tools on Friday, 9 January. According to industry portal TheFlightClub, members of Assohandlers will stage a four-hour walk-out from 13:00 to 17:00, affecting services at nearly every major Italian airport, including Rome Fiumicino, Milan Malpensa, Milan Linate, Bologna and Turin.
In parallel, Swissport Italy staff at Milan-Linate will strike for 24 hours, while Airport Handling crews at Linate and Malpensa and easyJet cabin crews will stop work for the same period. Vueling employees will conduct an eight-hour strike from 10:00 to 18:00. Italy’s civil-aviation authority ENAC has published protected time-slots (07:00-10:00 and 18:00-21:00) during which flights must operate, but airlines are already pre-emptively trimming schedules.
![Nation-Wide Airport Handling Strike Set for 9 January Could Disrupt Italian Flight Operations]()
Business-traveller impact is expected to be most acute on domestic feeder flights feeding long-haul connections out of Rome and Milan. Mobility managers should urge travellers to build in at least four extra hours for potential delays or consider rail alternatives on the Milan–Rome corridor. Cargo operations may also see knock-on effects as ramp services slow.
Under EU Regulation 261/2004, passengers whose flights are cancelled at short notice are entitled to re-routing or refunds but not compensation if the airline can prove the disruption is due to ‘extraordinary circumstances’. Some carriers, however, have historically offered vouchers to maintain goodwill.
Further strike notices could follow if ongoing national bargaining over pay and staffing levels does not progress. Companies with high volumes of intra-EU travel to Italy in Q1 2026 should review contingency plans, including re-booking windows and traveller-tracking protocols.
In parallel, Swissport Italy staff at Milan-Linate will strike for 24 hours, while Airport Handling crews at Linate and Malpensa and easyJet cabin crews will stop work for the same period. Vueling employees will conduct an eight-hour strike from 10:00 to 18:00. Italy’s civil-aviation authority ENAC has published protected time-slots (07:00-10:00 and 18:00-21:00) during which flights must operate, but airlines are already pre-emptively trimming schedules.
Business-traveller impact is expected to be most acute on domestic feeder flights feeding long-haul connections out of Rome and Milan. Mobility managers should urge travellers to build in at least four extra hours for potential delays or consider rail alternatives on the Milan–Rome corridor. Cargo operations may also see knock-on effects as ramp services slow.
Under EU Regulation 261/2004, passengers whose flights are cancelled at short notice are entitled to re-routing or refunds but not compensation if the airline can prove the disruption is due to ‘extraordinary circumstances’. Some carriers, however, have historically offered vouchers to maintain goodwill.
Further strike notices could follow if ongoing national bargaining over pay and staffing levels does not progress. Companies with high volumes of intra-EU travel to Italy in Q1 2026 should review contingency plans, including re-booking windows and traveller-tracking protocols.
Source: TheFlightClub
