National carrier ITA has cancelled over 200 flights ahead of Friday’s strike and easyJet says disruption is likely.
ADVERTISEMENTA national strike will disrupt flights to and from Italy this Friday 21 October.
National carrier ITA Airways has cancelled over 200 domestic and international flights as a result. Many of these are to and from Rome and Milan.
Flights with other airlines will also be impacted. According to easyJet, the strike will affect air traffic control and ground handling services. Travellers are advised to allow extra time for their journey and to check their flight status in advance.
On its website, easyJet states: “Like most airlines operating to and from Italy, we may see some disruption to our flying programme on this date”. While they refer to the situation as “outside of our control”, the airline promises to minimise disruption as much as possible.
According to Italy’s National Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC), a number of flights will be guaranteed between 7-10am and 6-9pm.
The strike, called by multiple unions in the transport sector over ongoing pay and contract disputes, will also affect some public transport services in Italy.
What to do if your Italy flight is cancelled
Most airlines will inform you of cancellations via text or email, using the details you provided when booking. However, it is advisable to check your flight’s status on the airline’s website before you travel to the airport.
All flights can also be tracked live at FlightRadar24.com.
If your flight is cancelled, easyJet recommends transferring your booking to a different time or date free of charge, or taking a refund via their website under the ‘Manage Bookings’ section or using their Flight Tracker.
ITA reportedly plans to minimise disruption by offering alternative flights to customers. It hopes to offer same-day replacements to 20 per cent of passengers, according to local tourism site Travelnostop.
For those who have to wait longer, vouchers or reimbursements for food, transport and accommodation will be provided in line with EU law. All airlines must provide food and drink for short-haul delays over two hours, medium-haul delays over three hours and long-haul delays over four hours.
Alternatively, flight refunds will be available through ITA’s website and Customer Centre - 800 936090 from Italy or bookingschangesrefunds@itaspa.com outside of Italy. Refunds will be available for flights that are cancelled or delayed more than five hours.
You can access real-time updates on ITA flights via their app using the Flight Info tool.
