Gatwick passengers warned mass Europe-wide air travel disruption likely 10 days before Christmas, due to new wave of strikes

From Gatwick Airport, passengers can reach popular Italian destinations like Milan, Naples, Pisa, Rome and Venice.

The company has 800 employees, who handle the operational management of 45 airports across Italy.

Between 1pm and 5pm on the same day, air traffic controllers at Milan Malpensa, Milan Linate and Bergamo Orio al Serio are set to walk out for four hours between 1pm and 5pm local time. FILT-CGIL and UILT-UIL, two of Italy’s largest transport unions are supporting the strikes.

From Gatwick Airport, passengers can reach popular Italian destinations like Milan, Naples, Pisa, Rome and Venice.

Discussing the industrial action, AirAdvisor CEO Anton Radchenko, who helps passengers claim compensation from disrupted air journeys explains: “Nationwide air traffic control strikes can have an extremely damaging effect on a country’s ability to effectively manage arrivals and departures at airports. They can end up causing mass delays and cancellations impacting numerous countries and airlines.

“In April this year, Ryanair was forced to cancel 300 flights across Europe flights as a result of French air traffic controllers striking, affecting 50,000 passengers. It’s entirely possible that this action in Italy could have a similar effect.

“British Airways, easyJet, Ryanair, Jet2 and Wizz Air all fly to Italy from the UK and if you’re due to travel to the country on December 15th, prepare for delays and cancellations. As we saw with the French air traffic control strikes in April, it’s not just flights in the country where industrial action is taking place that can be affected - strikes like these can have a real domino effect. They could end up causing travel misery for pre-Christmas travellers.

“In 2023, an estimated 16,000 flights were cancelled with 85,000 delayed as a result of air traffic control strikes in Europe. Because of this, when air traffic control strikes are imminent, we advise passengers to download their airline's app and sign up for email or SMS alerts to stay informed about how the strikes could affect their travel plans.

“If you’re at the airport and your flight is delayed or cancelled, ask your airline’s staff what caused the delay or cancellation and note down their answer. This will serve as supporting documentation if you choose to file a claim for compensation.

“Under current EU Regulation 261, passengers affected by delays and cancellations may be due up to £520 in compensation for the inconvenience caused to their travel plans. We suggest using a compensation calculator to establish what you might be owed, and doing this as quickly as possible.”

Visit https://airadvisor.com/en for more information.