ITA Airways cancels 38% of flights as Italy ATC strike grounds 5 major airports

Quick summary

ITA Airways has cancelled approximately 38% of its scheduled flights on May 11, 2026, as simultaneous 8-hour strikes by ENAV air traffic controllers and easyJet pilots and cabin crew shut down Italian airspace capacity from 10:00 to 18:00. Passengers departing during that window face cancellation or significant delay across Rome-Fiumicino, Milan-Linate, Milan-Malpensa, Naples, and Venice. Flights scheduled during protected slots — 07:00–10:00 and 18:00–21:00 — are guaranteed to operate under Italian law, though congestion-driven delays of 60–90 minutes are likely.

Ground handling strikes at Rome-Fiumicino and Palermo add a second layer of disruption from 12:00 to 16:00. Knock-on effects will extend into May 12 as aircraft and crews reposition across the network.

Two overlapping industrial actions are hitting Italy’s aviation system simultaneously on Monday, May 11 — and the timing could not be worse for early-summer travelers.

ENAV‘s Rome Area Control Centre controllers and easyJet pilots and cabin crew are both walking out for 8 hours, from 10:00 to 18:00. The result: Italian airspace capacity collapses by roughly 70% during that window, forcing airlines to cancel or hold flights that fall outside legally protected departure slots. ITA Airways confirmed the damage first — approximately 38% of its daily schedule is gone, concentrated almost entirely on short-haul domestic and intra-European routes.

The five airports carrying the heaviest load are Rome-Fiumicino (FCO), Milan-Malpensa (MXP), Milan-Linate (LIN), Naples-Capodichino (NAP), and Venice-Marco Polo (VCE) — each hosting area control centres that manage both overflights and landings. Lose those controllers, and the ripple spreads well beyond Italy’s borders.

Unions cite stalled pay negotiations and a post-pandemic traffic surge that has pushed controllers to their limits. The grievance is real, but that context offers little comfort to anyone holding a Rome–Barcelona or Milan–Paris ticket for Monday afternoon.

What the strike means flight by flight

Italian law mandates two protected operating windows during any strike: 07:00–10:00 and 18:00–21:00. Every scheduled flight within those slots must depart, regardless of industrial action. Intercontinental departures from Fiumicino are also guaranteed — the ENAC notice confirms transatlantic services to New York, Boston, Miami, and Toronto, plus long-haul flights to Tokyo Haneda, Delhi, and Hong Kong, are protected. If your ticket is on one of those routes, your flight operates.

Everything else is exposed. The confirmed ITA Airways cancellation list runs to over 120 flight numbers, spanning domestic routes — Catania, Palermo, Naples, Florence, Venice — and short-haul European connections to Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Brussels, Madrid, Barcelona, Athens, and Zürich. The London–Rome service (AZ 203 inbound, AZ 204 outbound) is also cancelled, which matters directly for UK-based travelers.

Ground handling strikes at Rome-Fiumicino (ADR Security, 12:00–16:00) and Palermo add a third layer. Even flights that technically operate during the protected windows may face check-in and baggage handling delays at those airports.

For the full confirmed cancellation list, Strike Tracker’s May 11 Italy transport page carries real-time updates across all affected carriers and unions.

Why Italian ATC strikes keep happening — and what history says about recovery

This is not an isolated event. Italian ATC strikes recur two to three times annually, and the pattern is consistent: a 4–8 hour window, protected slots preserved under Law 146/1990, cancellation rates ranging 15–40% depending on strike duration and airline preparedness. The May 2023 ENAV walkout — four hours, 13:00–17:00 — cancelled 25% of flights and left roughly 2,000 passengers rebooked over two days. The June 2022 easyJet pilot strike in Italy ran a full 24 hours and cancelled 40 flights. December 2019 saw a 4-hour ENAV strike cut 15% of Rome-Fiumicino’s schedule.

The current dispute is larger in scope — both ENAV and easyJet crew simultaneously, plus ground handling — which explains why ITA Airways’ cancellation rate of 38% sits at the high end of the historical range. Recovery typically takes 24–36 hours as repositioned aircraft and rested crews cycle back into schedule. Travelers on May 12 morning departures from Italian hubs should monitor their flight status closely; residual delays are common the morning after a major strike day.

Two signals are worth watching as this develops. ENAC‘s negotiation update expected around May 15 will indicate whether unions and ENAV have reached a wage agreement — if they have, further May strikes are unlikely. If talks stall, a 24-hour action in late May becomes a real possibility. Separately, easyJet‘s May 12 earnings call could signal Italy route reductions if management flags strike costs; capacity cuts on Milan-Malpensa and Rome-Fiumicino through Q3 2026 would push fares up 8–12% on those corridors. This is not unlike what happened after the Lufthansa pilot strike in April 2026, where post-strike capacity adjustments reshaped pricing for weeks.

Steps to take before Monday morning

Flights departing Italy between 10:00 and 18:00 on May 11 carry the highest cancellation risk — act now, not at the airport.

• Check your flight status immediately. Go to ITA Airways‘ flight status page at ita-airways.com or easyJet‘s manage-bookings portal. If your flight shows cancelled, do not wait for an email — call directly. ITA Airways: +39 06 85960020 (Italy or abroad). easyJet: +44 330 365 5000. ITA Airways’ rebooking window runs until May 18.
• Request rebooking on May 10 or May 12. Both airlines must rebook you free of charge on the next available service — including on a competing carrier if their own schedule cannot accommodate you. Ask explicitly for this. If the agent offers only a voucher, decline and request a confirmed seat or a full cash refund.
• Get written confirmation of cancellation. You need this for any EU261 claim, travel insurance filing, or corporate expense reimbursement. An email confirmation before you leave home is the minimum — a screenshot of the cancellation notice on the airline’s app also works.
• If departing during protected slots (07:00–10:00 or 18:00–21:00): Your flight operates, but arrive at least 3 hours early. Ground handling strikes at Fiumicino and Palermo run 12:00–16:00, and congestion from cancelled midday flights will back up check-in queues earlier than usual.
• If you are transiting through an Italian hub on May 10 evening: Confirm your May 11 onward connection with your airline tonight. If it is cancelled, rebook to May 12 before you board your inbound flight — options narrow fast once you are airside.

Watch: ENAC’s negotiation update around May 15 will confirm whether further strikes are planned for late May. If you have Italian travel booked in the final two weeks of May, hold off on non-refundable hotel bookings until that date passes.

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