Why Is Italy’s Airport On Strike? EasyJet & Major Airlines Face Widespread Disruptions

EasyJet and other major airline passengers are facing huge disruptions in Italy today. Multiple flight cancellations and delays have been recorded at Milan Malpensa International Airport due to an ongoing EasyJet strike. This has been triggered by a 24-hour pilot strike, mass walkouts among ground crew, and torrential rainstorms, resulting in massive disruption over peak spring break holidays.

EasyJet Flight Cancellations Cause Italy’s Travel Disruptions

The EasyJet flight cancellations have adversely hit Malpensa Airport, with 14 of its flights being cancelled, affecting 10% of the day’s operations. Furthermore, three flights have also been delayed. The other airlines were also affected:

• Ryanair has also had seven of its flights cancelled, representing 9% of operations.
• Dreamjet has accounted for one flight delayed, affecting 50% of its schedule.
• Korean Air has seen two delayed flights, which resulted in a whopping 200% delay rate.
• Qatar Airways has seen one delayed flight, representing 12% of its daily flight operations.

The disruption has spread across major places in Italy, such as Rome Fiumicino, Naples, Catania, and Venice. The strikes have made matters worse for travellers who are already facing long security lines, baggage delays, and lengthy layovers.

Also Read: Bengaluru Sees Heavy Rains On Saturday; 10 Flights Diverted As Airlines Post Travel Advisories

What Passengers Need To Know

As reported by Travel and Tour World, the crisis is a result of a combined strike action taken by EasyJet pilots and Assohandlers, Italy’s leading ground-handling service provider. Assohandlers handles major carriers like Ryanair and Wizz Air, indicating that the strike is impacting more airlines than just EasyJet.

Industrial action, which started at midnight, has caused major delays in the handling of luggage, check-in, and security screening. Travellers have complained about missed connections and long delays, with many finding it difficult to reschedule their travel arrangements.

Apart from the operational challenges, heavy rain has further delayed flights and caused more congestion at airports. As spring break travel intensifies across Europe, EasyJet’s flight cancellations and continuing strikes serve to emphasise the necessity for improved contingency planning within the aviation sector.

Also Read: EasyJet Egypt To Manchester Flight Makes Emergency Landing In Athens After Pilot Collapsed Mid-Flight

Whether or not the disruptions will abate in the near future is uncertain, but currently, passengers must stay prepared for possible delays and cancellations.

Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons & Canva (For Representation)

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