Is there a strike in Italy in November? Yes, and if you're flying there this month, a few dates are worth circling. Italy's air traffic controllers plan to walk out twice, first at Bari on Friday, Nov. 6, and then across the whole country on Saturday, Nov. 21. The next day, Sunday, Nov. 22, brings a controllers' strike at Milan Malpensa and a security staff strike at Venice. None of these dates fall during the first days of November, because Italian law bans air transport strikes around the Oct. 31 to Nov. 1 holiday weekend. After that, the calendar fills up fast.
Friday, Nov. 6: Bari
The first walkout is small. Air traffic controllers at Bari, the main airport in Puglia, plan to strike from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. local time. Departures are the flights most likely to be hit, so if you're leaving Bari that afternoon, you could see delays or cancellations. Arrivals should be less affected, and the rest of Italy should run as normal.
Saturday, Nov. 21: The Big One
This is the date that matters most. Air traffic controllers across Italy plan to strike from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. local time, which can affect flights at every airport in the country, including Rome, Milan and Venice. Because controllers handle planes flying over Italy too, flights that just cross Italian airspace can sometimes be delayed as well.
It gets messier on the ground. A national train strike is planned from 9 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 20, until 8 p.m. Saturday, so trains to and from airports may be canceled too. If you're flying that Saturday, the safest plan is a morning departure and a taxi or ride-share to the airport. Basically, Saturday is a good day to be lounging in a Roman café rather than standing in a terminal.
Sunday, Nov. 22: Milan and Venice
Two separate strikes land the next day. Controllers at Milan Malpensa are listed for a 24-hour strike, although Italian rules usually cap a first strike at four hours, so the final length could be shorter. Check closer to the date if you're flying through Malpensa.
At Venice Marco Polo, the strike involves the staff who run airport security, not air traffic control. That shouldn't cancel flights, but it can make the security line much slower. Give yourself plenty of extra time before a Venice departure that day.
Which Flights Are Protected
Italy has a rule that softens every air strike. Flights scheduled to leave between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. and between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. local time are guaranteed to operate, according to Italy's aviation authority, ENAC. If you can book into one of those windows on a strike day, you're far less likely to be stuck.
Strikes in Italy also get called off a lot. Our last strike coverage showed how often plans change in the final days, so check your airline's app the day before you fly rather than rebooking weeks ahead. Watch for local transport strikes too. Venice's ATVO buses, which run to the airport, are listed for a 24-hour strike on Friday, Nov. 13, and Milan's metro, trams and buses are on the same day.
If Your Flight Is Canceled
If a strike cancels your flight, your airline still has to get you where you're going or give you a refund. That's true under Europe's passenger rules, and US airlines generally offer the same choice. If you're stuck overnight, airlines flying under European rules also owe you meals and a hotel while you wait.
Compensation is a different story. Air traffic control strikes usually count as "extraordinary circumstances," which means you're unlikely to get the extra cash payout of up to €600 that comes with other cancellations. If the airline's own staff go on strike, that's a different rule, and you may be owed compensation after all.
One last thing for anyone headed south this month. Naples' airport is closed for all of November for runway work, so if your Amalfi Coast trip routes through Rome or Salerno instead, check those dates against this list too.
