British holidaymakers travelling abroad with easyJet, Ryanair, British Airways and Wizz Air are being warned to brace for severe disruption this weekend due to strikes in Italy. Italian ground staff, baggage handlers and airport workers are due to walk out from 1pm to 5pm local time on Saturday, July 26, affecting every major Italian airport. The walkout coincides with a separate strike by pilots and crew at Spanish airline Volotea, meaning it’s not just direct routes from the UK to Italy that will be impacted, but wider European travel routes as well.
According to aviation experts at AirAdvisor, the world’s leading air passenger rights company, the four-hour nationwide Italian strike will impact up to 36,000 British passengers flying with major carriers including easyJet, Ryanair, British Airways, Wizz Air, ITA Airways, and Volotea.
Based on current summer flight schedules, the experts warn up to 200 direct UK to Italy flights are at risk of disruption in a single day, with peak routes including London to Rome, London to Milan and Manchester to Venice.
Scores of secondary and regional flights from major UK airports are also expected to be impacted including Edinburgh, Bristol, Liverpool, Leeds, Birmingham, Belfast and Glasgow.
Experts at AirAdvisor said: “British Airways, easyJet, Ryanair, and ITA Airways operate the bulk of UK-Italy flights. While British Airways typically runs regular daily flights from Heathrow and Gatwick to Rome and Milan, easyJet and Ryanair’s extensive UK network, serving cities from Bristol to Edinburgh, faces the largest operational headache, with multiple flights on high-frequency routes.
“Delays and cancellations will reverberate across Europe’s already-strained airport system. With Italian airports disrupted, travellers will see congestion spread to European hubs like Amsterdam, Frankfurt, and Paris CDG as airlines scramble for rerouting options or to accommodate stranded passengers.”
AirAdvisor warns that passengers won’t receive compensation if flights are disrupted as the strike action is not under the control of airlines. Under EU261 regulation, compensation is only due where airlines are directly responsible for disruptions.
But passengers are entitled to care and assistance if the delay exceeds two hours for short-haul flights, three hours for medium-haul, and four hours for long-haul flights. This may include free meals and accommodation if an overnight stay is needed, and transport to and from the airport. For cancelled flights, free rerouting and full refunds are provided by airlines.
Anton Radchenko, Aviation Expert and Founder of AirAdvisor, added: “This Italy strike, though short, comes smack in the middle of the UK summer getaway window, which is why its effects are disproportionately severe.
“A single four-hour stoppage can derail dozens of flights, ripple across Europe’s congested network, and knock thousands of travellers off course. With airspace so congested, anything that happens in Rome or Milan is felt in London, Manchester, and beyond.
“For UK passengers, the key is preparation. Airlines must legally provide care in the form of meals, accommodations, and alternate travel, but that doesn’t happen unless travellers ask and record every request.”