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Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Strike action planned for the first weekend of summer holidays across Italian airports – it's set to cause chaos
Plus, how to get compensation if your flight is cancelled AIR-NO Strike action planned for the first weekend of summer holidays across Italian airports – it's set to cause chaos STRIKES across Italian airports are set to cause trouble for British holidaymakers travelling this weekend. Italian officials have warned that aviation industry staff are planning to strike across Italy on the first Saturday of the summer holidays leading to potential flight delays and cancellations. 4 There's a planned strike across Italian airports this weekend Credit: Alamy 4 Airport workers are set to strike across major terminals Credit: Alamy Lots of Brits will be ditching the UK for a break in sunny Italy, but could be met with chaos due to strike action. The Italian Transport Ministry has announced that airport staff including security workers and baggage handlers are set to walk out for a four-hour shutdown between 1PM and 5PM on Saturday 26 July. This will impact passengers heading to major terminals at airports including Rome Fiumicino, Milan Malpensa, Naples, Florence and Venice. The Assohandlers group, which represents baggage handlers at dozens of airports across Italy, is set to strike. The company has Ryanair, Wizz Air and TUI among its clients, meaning flights with those carriers could be impacted. While the planned strike is set to last just four hours, it will also have a ripple effect on later services too. To add to the disruption, staff at Spanish budget airline, Volotea, are set to walk out during the day as well. Strike action in Italy earlier this month ended with 73 flights scheduled to depart from and arrive in the country being cancelled in a single day. The scrapped flights included services from Milan Malpensa, Milan Linate, Naples and Venice Marco Polo - affecting passengers travelling via Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Manchester. Darina Kovacheva, Head of Legal at airline compensation specialist SkyRefund says: 'As we saw earlier this month, the ongoing discontent among aviation workers in Italy is causing mayhem for holidaymakers visiting the country. Popular Italian holiday hotspot bans walking barefoot, booze & picnics with rules-breaking tourists facing hefty fines 4 Workers for Spanish budget airline Volotea are also planning to strike Credit: Alamy She continued: "We highly recommend that passengers travelling to Italy this weekend monitor the status of their flight before travelling to the airport, as strikes like these can cause last minute cancellations." For anyone flying with Volotea, Darina has said that certain passengers could be eligible for compensation if their flight is delayed or cancelled. She added: "Under EU Regulation 261/2004, when disruption to a passenger's journey is caused by an airline's own employees, such as the planned Volotea staff strike, passengers may be eligible for compensation." Several Italian airports have issued early warning on their websites and social media channels encouraging passengers to consider rescheduling flights. There's already travel chaos for Brits who have been driving to the port of Dover and have been stuck in long queues to cross the Channel. The RAC estimates that up to 13.9 million journeys could be made between July 21 and July 24. Here's more on flight delays and what to do if you're affected. Flight compensation rules A look at your rights if a flight is delayed or cancelled, when your entitled to compensation and if your travel insurance can cover the costs. What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed? Under UK law, airlines have to provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late. If you're flying to or from the UK, your airline must let you choose a refund or an alternative flight. You will be able to get your money back for the part of your ticket that you haven't used yet. So if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded. But if travelling is essential, then your airline has to find you an alternative flight. This could even be with another airline. When am I not entitled to compensation? The airline doesn't have to give you a refund if the flight was cancelled due to reasons beyond their control, such as extreme weather. Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes or other 'extraordinary circumstances' are not eligible for compensation. Some airlines may stretch the definition of "extraordinary circumstances" but you can challenge them through the aviation regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled? If you can't claim compensation directly through the airline, your travel insurance may refund you. Policies vary so you should check the small print, but a delay of eight to 12 hours will normally mean you qualify for some money from your insurer. Remember to get written confirmation of your delay from the airport as your insurer will need proof. If your flight is cancelled entirely, you're unlikely to be covered by your insurance.


Local Italy
23-06-2025
- Local Italy
KEY DATES: The transport strikes to expect in Italy in July 2025
Transport strikes are something of a regular occurrence in Italy, with at least two to three nationwide walkouts and several regional protests called each month. Conveniently though, most strikes are planned and announced well in advance, with the Italian Transport Ministry listing them on a handy online calendar (available in Italian). This usually gives commuters and international visitors some time to arrange alternative methods of transportation or, when possible, reschedule their journeys. Here's a look at the major walkouts that you should know about if you're travelling to, from or across Italy in the coming weeks. July 7th-8th – Nationwide rail strike Train passengers in Italy may face delays or cancellations in early July as staff at rail operators including Trenitalia and Italo plan to walk out from 9pm on Monday, July 7th to 6pm on Tuesday, July 8th. The protest, which is backed by two of Italy's largest trade unions, is expected to to affect long-distance, regional and commuter routes, with the overall level of disruption likely to vary by region, city and operator. Under Italian transport laws, rail operators must provide a number of essential services during strikes held on weekdays. Details on guaranteed services are expected to become available closer to the date of the walkout. July 10th – Multiple airport staff strikes People flying to, from or across Italy could face disruption on Thursday, July 10th due to multiple airport ground staff strikes. Staff at Assohandlers, which operates baggage handling services in several Italian airports, including Milan Linate and Milan Malpensa, plan to strike for 24 hours on July 10th. Baggage handlers at Venice Marco Polo and drivers at Milan airports also plan to hold 24-hour walkouts on the same day. Protests by airport workers are also expected at Cagliari Elmas (from 1pm to 5pm) and Naples Capodichino (from 11am to 3pm). The above strikes may cause flight delays or cancellations, as well as delays in ground operations including passenger check-in and baggage drop-off or collection services. Under Italian air transport laws, flights due to depart between 6am and 9am and between 6pm and 9pm are protected from strike action and should go ahead as planned on July 10th. July 11th – 24-hour staff strike at Palermo airport Passengers flying to or from the Sicilian capital of Palermo may experience delays or cancellations on Friday, July 11th as staff at Gesap, which manages aviation services at the city's Falcone Borsellino Airport, plan to hold a 24-hour walkout. Flights due to depart between 6am and 9am and between 6pm and 9pm are protected from strike action under Italian law and should go ahead as planned on July 11th. July 14th - Public transport strikes in Sicily Public transport services in the Sicilian cities of Enna, Palermo and Catania are set to be hit by a four-hour strike on Monday, July 14th. The protest, which involves workers at four different operators (Segesta, Autolinee Russo, Etna Trasporti and Interbus), is expected to start at 9.30am and end at 1.30pm. It's currently unclear whether any of the affected transport companies will provide essential services during the strike. July 20th-21st – Regional rail strike in Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta Train passengers in the northwestern Italian regions of Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta could experience disruption in late July as staff at rail operator Trenitalia plan to strike from 3am on Sunday, July 20th to 2am on Monday, July 21st. The walkout is expected to affect regional and commuter routes, but shouldn't impact interregional and long-distance journeys. Rail operators in Italy aren't required to provide a minimum level of service during strikes held over the weekend. Trenitalia hasn't yet clarified whether or not it intends to guarantee essential rail services on July 20th. July 26th – Airline and airport staff strikes People flying to, from or across Italy could experience delays or cancellations on Saturday, July 26th as airline staff and airport ground workers plan to take part in a four-hour nationwide strike. The protest, which was called by Italy's CUB Trasporti union, is set to start at 1pm and end at 5pm. The national walkout is expected to coincide with a separate four-hour strike (from 1pm to 5pm) by pilots and cabin staff at Spanish budget airline Volotea.


Local Italy
26-05-2025
- Local Italy
KEY DATES: The transport strikes to expect in Italy in June 2025
Transport strikes are a regular occurrence in Italy, with at least two or three nationwide walkouts and several regional protests called each month. Conveniently though, most strikes are planned and announced well in advance, with the Italian Transport Ministry listing them on a handy online calendar (available in Italian). This usually gives commuters and international visitors some time to arrange alternative means of transportation or, when possible, reschedule their journeys. Here's a look at the major walkouts that you should know about if you're travelling to, from or across Italy in the coming weeks. June 13th – Air transport strikes Passengers flying to, from or across Italy may face delays or cancellations on Friday, June 13th due to multiple air transport strikes. Baggage handlers at airports around the country plan to strike for 24 hours on June 13th, while ground staff including security officers, ground equipment operators and customer service agents plan to walk out from 1pm to 5pm. On the same date, drivers at Milan Linate and Milan Malpensa are expected to strike from midnight to 11.59pm. The above protests may result in flight delays or cancellations at multiple airports. Ground operations including passenger check-in and baggage drop-off or collection services may also be affected. Under Italian air transport laws, flights due to depart between 6am and 9am and between 6pm and 9pm are protected from strike action and should go ahead as planned on June 13th. June 15th-16th – Regional rail strike in Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta Train passengers in the northwestern Italian regions of Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta could experience disruption in mid-June as staff at Trenitalia plan to strike from 3am on Sunday, June 15th to 2am on Monday, June 16th. The walkout is expected to affect regional and commuter routes, but shouldn't have an impact on interregional and long-distance journeys. Rail operators in Italy aren't required to provide a minimum level of service during strikes held on Saturdays or Sundays. Trenitalia hasn't yet said whether or not it intends to guarantee the operation of essential rail services during the strike. June 16th-17th – Regional rail strike in Lombardy Staff at Trenord, which operates a number of routes in the northern Lombardy region, including connections to and from Milan's Malpensa Airport, plan to strike from 3am on Monday, June 16th to 2am on Tuesday, June 17th. Regional, suburban and airport services run by Trenord may experience delays or cancellations over the entire duration of the strike. Under Italian transport laws, rail operators must provide a minimum level of service for passengers during strikes held on weekdays. Trenord usually guarantees the operation of several essential services over the following two time slots: between 6am and 9am, and between 6pm and 9pm. Further details on guaranteed journeys are expected to become available on Trenord's website closer to the walkout. June 19th-20th – 24-hour nationwide transport strike Rail and local public transport services around Italy are set to be hit by a 24-hour general strike on Thursday, June 19th and Friday, June 20th. The walkout, which is backed by three of Italy's major trade unions (CUB, SGB and USB), is expected to affect private and public rail operators between 9pm on Thursday and 9pm on Friday, according to Italy's transport ministry. Bus, tram, metro and cableway lines around the country are also expected to be affected, though trade unions haven't yet announced when exactly the local public transport strike will start and end. Air travel has been excluded from the general strike, meaning flights to and from Italy should run as planned on both days. Details on guaranteed rail and public transport services are expected to become available closer to the date of the walkout. How bad are strikes in Italy? Transport strikes are frequent in Italy, but not all cause major disruption for passengers. The severity of disruption caused by any walkout in the country largely depends on how many workers choose to participate in it. Nationwide protests backed by one or more major trade unions tend to have a bigger impact, as they represent more workers than smaller regional unions. Even in the case of highly disruptive strikes though, transport operators are legally required to guarantee some essential services at peak travel times. What to do if your flight is cancelled If you're flying to, from or within the EU, you have the right to either a refund or rebooking, and the airline must always offer you the choice. If you're booked onto a later flight and have to wait more than two hours, you're entitled to assistance such as food and drink. And in the case of cancellations at short notice, you may also be able to claim compensation. Find full details here. What to do if your train is cancelled If a pre-booked rail service is cancelled due to strike action in Italy, passengers are given the option to travel on an equivalent service or ask for a full refund. Private long-distance operator Italo and state-owned Trenitalia issue refunds automatically within 30 days of the cancelled trip.


Local Italy
24-04-2025
- Local Italy
KEY DATES: The transport strikes to expect in Italy in May 2025
Transport strikes are something of a regular occurrence in Italy, with at least two or three nationwide walkouts called each month. Conveniently though, most protests are planned and announced well in advance, with the Italian Transport Ministry listing them on a handy online calendar (available in Italian). This usually gives commuters and international visitors some time to arrange alternative methods of transportation or, when possible, reschedule their journeys. Here's a look at the major walkouts that you should know about if you're travelling to, from or across Italy in May. May 5th and 6th - National rail strikes Monday, May 5th is set to mark the beginning of one of the month's major transport strikes, though the bulk of the disruption is expected on May 6th. Starting at 9pm on May 5th and running until 8.59pm on May 6th, union USB Lavoro Privato is expected to launch a 24-hour strike targeting the national rail sector. The walkout is due to overlap with an eight-hour national train strike on Tuesday, May 6th, with staff from key operators including Trenitalia, Trenord and the FS Group set to walk off the job from 9am to 5pm. You can find the Trenitalia services guaranteed in the event of a strike here. May 9th – Nationwide air transport strike Air travellers should prepare for delays on May 9th, when a four-hour nationwide strike is set to hit the aviation sector, led by union CUB. From 1pm to 5pm, staff working in airlines, airports and related services are expected to stop work. This includes airline employees and ground handling crews at airports across the country. Specifically, workers at Swissport Italia, which provides check-in, boarding and lost-and-found services at Milan Linate airport, as well as staff of Aviation Services at Venice Marco Polo airport, are expected to participate. Flight schedules may be disrupted, and passengers are advised to check with their airlines before heading to the airport. May 27th – Regional train strike Staff of Trenord, which operates a number of regional trains in Lombardy, including connections to and from Milan's Malpensa Airport, are set to strike for 23 hours on May 27th into May 28th. The walkout, called by the Orsa Ferrovie rail workers' union, is scheduled to start at 3am on Tuesday, May 27th and end at 2am on Wednesday, May 28th. Trenord guarantees minimum train services from 6am-9am and 6pm-9pm on weekdays. How bad are strikes in Italy? Transport strikes in Italy are frequent, but not all of them cause major disruption for passengers. The severity of disruption caused by any walkout in the country largely depends on how many workers choose to participate in it. Generally speaking, nationwide protests backed by one or more major trade unions tend to have a bigger impact, as they represent more workers than smaller regional unions. Even in the case of highly disruptive strikes though, transport operators are legally required to guarantee some essential services at peak travel times. What to do if your flight is cancelled If you're flying to, from or within the EU, you have the right to either a refund or rebooking, and the airline must always offer you the choice. If you're booked onto a later flight and have to wait for more than two hours, you're entitled to assistance such as food and drink. And in the case of cancellations at short notice you may also be able to claim compensation. Find full details here. What to do if your train is cancelled If a pre-booked rail service is cancelled due to strike action in Italy, passengers are normally given the option to travel on an equivalent service or ask for a full refund. Private long-distance operator Italo and state-owned Trenitalia issue refunds automatically within 30 days of the cancelled trip.