Italian aviation workers' strike adds to the chaos for UK air passengers

The European aviation industry is currently going through some difficult times. Since yesterday, Italian aviation workers have been going on a strike, causing significant issues for UK air passengers.

Delayed or cancelled flight because of the Italian strike? Claim now and get up to £520 in flight compensation now!

Italian pilots and flight attendants on strike: dozens of flights cancelled

Pilots and flight attendants from two Italian unions are on strike today, June 8th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. over various issues, including pay, sick pay, time off, and refreshments.
Flights from the UK to Italy have been hugely disrupted since the strike started this morning. Alongside delays, easyJet had to cancel 20 flights from Gatwick to Italy, adding to the 14 flights cancelled by British Airways earlier today. 

The Italian Union of Transport Workers, one of the unions, has warned that if an agreement is not reached, "this will be only the first of a series of protest actions."

Staff shortages: another cause of air traffic chaos

Due to staff shortage, easyJet, British Airways and Ryanair are planning on cancelling more flights from the UK in the coming days and weeks.

The manager of Cornwall Airport Newquay admitted that the industry should have been better prepared to avoid travel chaos. Still, he is optimistic that things will be better in time for summer vacations.

"We should have planned better, we should have understood that the peak would come back, particularly this summer, but it came back earlier than people expected," Tim Jeans said on BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

My flight was delayed or cancelled due to the strike: can I claim compensation?

If your flight was delayed by more than 3 hours or if your flight was cancelled less than 14 days before departure, you can indeed claim flight compensation. 

The amount depends on the distance travelled by your flight: 

Wondering if you are eligible for flight compensation and/or refund? Check it now within a few seconds with our free and no-obligation Claim Calculator! You might get up to £520 in flight compensation and/or the full refund of your flight! 

Italian airports chaos to last over time: bad news from the Etna volcano 

And to add up to the misery of current passengers flying from or to Italy, Etna seems to want to join the show. 

On Wednesday, June 8th, according to VolcanoDiscovery.com, new eruptive fissures opened, signs that the Etna is about to erupt. More disruptions in the Italian air space should be feared in the coming weeks.

Useful links

• More details on delayed flight compensation
• More details on cancelled flight compensation
• Post-Brexit flight compensation rules in the UK
• Rules regarding missed flight compensation
• Rules regarding flight compensation in the case of denied boarding
• Claim Calculator — check if you are eligible for compensation