Italy faces air travel strikes on 21 July

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easyJet crews, regional carrier DAT and airport handling staff walk out for up to 24 hours, part of a week of transport strikes also hitting trains and ferries. Air passengers across Italy face a day of delays and cancellations on Tuesday 21 July, as a series of strikes hits airlines and airport ground services simultaneously. The most significant action affects budget airline easyJet, whose pilots and cabin crew across the national network will strike for a full 24 hours, from midnight to 23.59, in a walkout called by the USB Lavoro Privato union. A parallel 24-hour strike by cabin crew at UAB DAT LT, the carrier that operates routes to Lampedusa, Pantelleria and Ancona, will run over the same hours. Airports Ground handling staff at several airports are also joining the action, including at Milan Malpensa, where FedEx personnel and workers from handling firms Alha and MLE BCube will strike for 24 hours, as well as at Lamezia Terme, Naples, Salerno, Olbia and Alghero. As a result, disruption is expected to extend beyond the airlines directly involved, potentially slowing baggage handling, check-in and boarding at multiple hubs. Guaranteed flights and passenger rights As with all Italian transport strikes, regulations require certain flights to run regardless, safeguarding services during peak travel windows. Italy's civil aviation authority, ENAC, has confirmed that flights scheduled between 07.00 and 10.00 and between 18.00 and 21.00 must operate as normal, alongside other routes designated as essential connections. ENAC has published a list of guaranteed flights for both the easyJet and DAT strikes on its website. Travel advice Passengers are advised to check the status of their flight directly with their airline, particularly if travelling with easyJet or DAT, as any changes or cancellations should be communicated by email, text message or app notification. Under EU regulations, travellers whose flights are cancelled with less than 14 days' notice, or delayed by more than three hours, are entitled to a choice between compensation or rebooking onto an alternative flight. Wider transport disruption Tuesday's action opens what is set to be a difficult week for travellers. A 24-hour strike by Grandi Navi Veloci ferry staff, called by the Orsa Marittimi and Csle unions, is scheduled from midday on 22 July to midday on 23 July, affecting maritime links. This will be followed by a national rail strike, proclaimed by the grassroots unions Cub Trasporti and SGB, running from 21.00 on 23 July to the same time on 24 July. The stoppage covers high-speed, intercity and regional services across the Ferrovie dello Stato group, including Trenitalia and Trenord, though Italo is not involved. Trenitalia has said a list of protected long-distance services will still operate, while regional trains will run as normal during the guaranteed windows of 06.00 to 09.00 and 18.00 to 21.00. Additional local strikes are also expected on 24 July affecting rail and transport workers in Verona, the Marche region, Puglia and Salerno. For the official strike calendar see the Italian transport ministry website. Photo credit: MC MEDIASTUDIO / Shutterstock.com