April 10, 2026 promises to be a difficult day for those planning to fly to Italy. A nationwide strike in the aviation sector will involve air traffic controllers, navigation technicians and airport security staff, with a 4-hour suspension from 1pm to 5pm. Travellers, above all, will lose out: delays, cancellations and long queues are now a certainty for those who travel through the airports of Rome Fiumicino, Milan Malpensa, Naples Capodichino and other Italian cities.
The reasons for the strike
The strike was called days ago by some unions in the sector, including Uiltrasporti, Astra and FAST-Confsal. Also involved in the mobilization were ENAV staff, the company that manages Italian air traffic, as well as Techno Sky.
The unions are demanding better working conditions and wages adjusted to inflation. Furthermore, they report overloaded work and insufficient staff to cope with the growing demand for air travel. The air transport sector has returned to pre-pandemic levels, but the problems are not yet resolved, especially in a period marked by the fuel crisis and geopolitical uncertainties due to the war in Iran.
Flights guaranteed
For flights between 1pm and 5pm, uncertainty will reign supreme, and even flights scheduled before and after the strike time may be disrupted due to accumulated delays. But protected areas are foreseen to guarantee the continuity of air traffic. In fact, flights scheduled between 7:00 and 10:00 and between 18:00 and 21:00, as well as intercontinental and emergency and medical flights, should not be subject to cancellations.
HERE is the ENAC list with guaranteed flights.
