Travellers in Italy may experience flight delays and disruption on Friday (14 November) due to a series of planned labour strikes.
The Air Traffic Trade Association (ASTRA), which represents air traffic controllers in the ENAV Group, has called a nationwide strike that will last four hours, from 1pm to 5pm, on Friday. ENAV operates air traffic control towers across all 45 Italian airports.
The effects of the ASTRA action will be compounded by two additional strikes involving employees from low-cost carriers EasyJet and Volotea.
Volotea personnel across Italy will stage a 24-hour walkout on Friday, from midnight to 11:59 pm, which will involve all employees. Meanwhile, air crew at EasyJet will strike for four hours, from 1pm to 5pm.
Flight disruptions are expected in the early afternoon, however, as per Italian law, a minimum level of essential services will continue during the strikes. Flights scheduled between 7:00am and 10:00am and from 6:00pm to 9:00pm are expected to proceed as planned.
Additionally, freight and cargo handlers at Milan Malpensa Airport will also stop work for 24 hours on Friday. This action, organised by transport workers union CUB Trasporti, is expected to have repercussions on both domestic and international flights, according to local news reports.