Italy Travel Boom 2025: Hidden Gems, New Rules, and Flight Deals You Can’t Miss

Travellers heading to or from Italy on Friday 14 November 2025 should brace for widespread disruption as cabin crew and pilots from Volotea and EasyJet stage coordinated walk-outs across the country’s busiest hubs. The 24-hour Volotea strike, organised by the UILT-UIL union, runs from 00:00 to 23:59 and targets better contracts and formal recognition of union representation; EasyJet staff represented by USB Lavoro Privato will down tools between 13:00 and 17:00 over pay and safety concerns. Under Italian civil-aviation rules, “protected” flights scheduled in the peak windows 07:00-10:00 and 18:00-21:00 must still operate, but airlines warn that knock-on delays and last-minute cancellations are inevitable. Milan-Malpensa, Rome-Fiumicino, Venice, Naples and Palermo are expected to feel the heaviest impact, with Volotea hubs in the south and EasyJet bases in the north both affected. Passengers are urged to monitor airline apps, enable SMS alerts and arrive early for possible re-routing. Adding to the travel headache, Rome’s ATAC network will hold two separate strikes that same day (08:30-17:00 and 20:00-end of service), threatening metro, bus and tram frequencies just as fans descend on the capital for Serie A football fixtures and pre-Christmas city breaks. What to do if your flight is cancelled: EU261 entitles travellers to rebooking or a refund plus care (meals, accommodation) during the disruption. Because strikes are considered “industrial action,” compensation may not apply, but carriers must still offer alternative transport at the earliest opportunity. If you have a tight cruise connection or onward rail ticket, contact the operator now to explore flexible options. Looking ahead, Italy faces another transport crunch on 28 November when grassroots unions plan a nationwide walk-out involving rail, ground-handling staff and Air France-KLM ground services; frequent fliers should build extra buffer days into their itineraries. For real-time updates, follow ENAC advisories, check #ItalyStrike and keep boarding passes handy for security checks. Key takeaway: If Italy is on your autumn travel list, build contingency time into every leg, keep digital documents accessible, and don’t assume a “guaranteed” flight window equals a punctual departure.