Strikes Are Stacking Up Across Italy and France This Weekend

Two separate aviation strikes are lining up in southern Europe. easyJet cabin crew in Italy will strike nationwide for 24 hours on Friday, October 16, with protected flight windows running from 7am to 10am and from 6pm to 9pm. Flights scheduled inside those windows are expected to operate, while others may be cancelled.

The same day brings additional industrial action at Italian airports. Security staff at Venice Marco Polo are due to strike, along with ground staff at Pisa and Florence. Those walkouts could add queues and delays for passengers on any airline using the affected airports, not only easyJet customers.

In France, pilots and cabin crew have called a five-day strike beginning on Saturday, October 17. The announcement raises the prospect of cancellations on domestic and international services over a weekend and into the following week, although the extent of the disruption will depend on which carriers and unions take part.

Travellers with bookings on easyJet to or from Italy, or flights within France from October 17, should check their reservations and consider earlier or alternative flights if their schedule is flexible. Airlines typically publish rebooking and refund options once cancellations are confirmed, so it is worth watching for notifications from the carrier.

Sources: Travel Monitor