Flying in or out of Milan on Wednesday, 30 September 2026? Italy has a four-hour air traffic control strike scheduled from 1 pm to 5 pm, and Milan Linate has its own strike in the same time slot.
That does not mean airports will close or that every flight will be cancelled. Here is what has been confirmed, which Milan flights are on the official guaranteed list, and what to check before you leave for the airport.
Status on 29 September: the strikes are still listed in the official strike calendar of the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, and ENAC, Italy’s civil aviation authority, published the list of guaranteed flights on 28 September.
Table of Contents
Who is striking and when
According to the Ministry’s official strike calendar, the Uiltrasporti union (UILT-UIL) has called two nationwide strikes, both from 1 pm to 5 pm:
- ENAV staff, the company that provides air traffic control across Italy;
- Techno Sky staff, the ENAV group company that maintains the technology used to manage air traffic.
On top of that, the calendar lists a separate strike by ENAV staff at Milan Linate, again from 1 pm to 5 pm, along with ENAV staff at Bologna, Bari and Naples airports and some offices at ENAV’s headquarters in Rome.
This is not an airline strike. Because air traffic control is involved, flights with any airline can be affected.
What it means for Linate, Malpensa and Bergamo
Linate is the Milan airport named in the calendar, so it deserves extra attention. Malpensa and Bergamo have no local strike of their own, but the national ENAV and Techno Sky strikes cover air traffic control everywhere in Italy, so flights there can be affected too.
Protected time slots
On strike days in Italy, flights scheduled in two protected slots must operate, according to ENAC’s rules on minimum services:
- 7 am to 10 am;
- 6 pm to 9 pm.
A flight in a protected slot is much safer, but it is not a promise of punctuality. Delays built up during the afternoon can still reach it.
Guaranteed flights from Milan
On 28 September ENAC published the list of flights guaranteed during the strike. These are the ones that matter most for Milan.
Long-haul departures from Malpensa on the list:
- North America: American Airlines AAL 299 to Philadelphia and AAL 207 to Miami; Delta DAL 185 and Emirates UAE 205 to New York JFK; United UAL 415 to Chicago O’Hare;
- Asia: Thai Airways THA 941 to Bangkok, China Eastern CES 244 to Shanghai Pudong, Air China CCA 950 to Beijing and Singapore Airlines SIA 377 to Singapore;
- Middle East and Africa: Qatar Airways QTR 128 to Doha, Saudia SVA 210 to Jeddah, EgyptAir MSR 704 to Cairo and LAV 8593 to Cairo via Rome Fiumicino;
- South America: LATAM TAM 8073 to São Paulo Guarulhos.
The list uses the three-letter ICAO airline codes. On your booking the same flight usually appears with the two-letter code, so AAL 299 is AA 299 and DAL 185 is DL 185.
Flights to and from the islands with a single daily frequency are also guaranteed. From the Milan area: Malpensa to Lampedusa and back (EJU 3599 and 3600), Malpensa to Catania (WMT 6467), Linate to Comiso and back (AEZ 2121 and 2120) and Olbia to Bergamo (VOE 1317).
ENAC also guarantees:
- all long-haul arrivals into Italy, including passengers connecting through an Italian airport;
- domestic flights already in the air when the strike starts;
- flights scheduled before 1 pm that are delayed for reasons beyond anyone’s control;
- international arrivals due within 30 minutes of the start of the strike.
Not on the list? That does not mean your flight is cancelled. ENAC authorises airlines to operate every other flight they can, depending on how many employees join the strike.
What to check before you leave for the airport
Your flight number: check it in the airline’s app, with booking notifications switched on.
The departures board: Malpensa and Linate show live flight status.
The ENAC list: see if your flight is among the guaranteed flights.
Your contact details: make sure the phone number and email on the booking are correct, so the airline can reach you.
If your flight is cancelled: ask the airline in writing for your refund or rebooking options before buying a new ticket, and keep boarding passes, messages and receipts.
If you are rebooked onto a morning flight from Malpensa, sleeping near the terminal can save you a very early transfer. See our guide to Malpensa airport hotels.
Your rights if your flight is cancelled or delayed
For flights departing from the EU, and for flights into the EU on an EU airline, the airline must offer you a refund or rerouting if your flight is cancelled, plus meals and, if needed, a hotel while you wait for the new flight.
Cash compensation is a different matter. A strike by air traffic controllers is outside the airline’s control and can count as an extraordinary circumstance, so the airline may refuse to pay it. The refund, rerouting and care still apply.
For the details, including how delays are measured, read our guide to flight delays and Milan airports.
Official sources
- Official strike calendar of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport
- ENAC guaranteed flights page
- ENAC minimum services during strikes
Last checked: 29 September 2026.
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