Why Everyone Is Talking About Italy Right Now: 7 Hot Stories You Can’t Miss

Travelers heading to, from or across Italy this month face a wave of industrial action that could snarl itineraries nationwide. Multiple unions representing airport ground staff, flight attendants and security agents have announced walkouts on key dates in September 2025, threatening delays and cancellations for carriers including easyJet, Wizz Air and Volotea. What’s happening and when • 6 September — 24-hour strike by easyJet cabin crew at Catania Fontanarossa, Swissport handlers at Milan Linate, and airport staff in Pisa and Florence (four-hour stoppage). • 6 September — handling staff at Milan Malpensa and Linate stage a parallel 24-hour walkout. • 26 September — four-hour strike by ground handlers at Linate and Malpensa, plus a 24-hour strike by Volotea crews and members of the CUB Transport and FLAI unions. • Security personnel at Cagliari Elmas also plan a full-day walkout on 26 September. Why the strikes matter Italy’s busiest late-summer travel period overlaps with the Holy Year Jubilee build-up and grape-harvest tourism rush, so even short stoppages can cascade into widespread delays. Milan Malpensa and Linate are northern Italy’s main hubs; Catania is Sicily’s second-busiest airport; Pisa and Florence funnel much of Tuscany’s international traffic. Any disruption quickly reverberates through Europe’s flight network. Airline responses • easyJet and Wizz Air have warned passengers to expect schedule changes on 6 September and advised checking flight status before departure. • Ryanair says it does not anticipate cancellations but urges early airport arrival to clear possible security bottlenecks. • Volotea plans a “minimum-services” roster on 26 September but has opened free rebooking windows for affected routes. Tips for minimizing disruption 1. Monitor flight status: Enable push notifications in airline apps 24 hours before departure. 2. Travel with carry-on only: Re-routing is simpler when you can switch flights quickly. 3. Choose early flights: Morning departures are less exposed to rolling delays. 4. Build in buffer time: If you have a cruise, train connection or wedding to attend, arrive the day before. 5. Know EU 261 rights: If your flight is cancelled within 14 days of departure, you may claim compensation unless the airline proves “extraordinary circumstances.” Alternative transport options Italy’s high-speed rail network (Trenitalia Frecciarossa and Italo) remains unaffected by the September airport strikes. For journeys under four hours—Rome-Florence, Milan-Venice, Naples-Bari—train travel can bypass airport hold-ups entirely. Outlook Unions say further action is possible if contract talks stall, meaning October’s shoulder-season travelers should keep contingency plans ready. For now, staying informed and flexible is the best defense against Italy’s late-summer strike season.