The train station in Vicenza, Italy. A 21-hour nationwide rail strike involving onboard and engine staff in Italy is planned from 9 p.m. on Sept. 4 to 6 p.m. on Sept. 5. (Stars and Stripes)
NAPLES, Italy — There are more than 40 labor strikes planned this month across Italy’s transportation sector, some of which could complicate travel plans for U.S. military personnel.
Those walkouts will be felt most by travelers in nationwide events impacting air and rail. But local transportation strikes in Sicily and elsewhere may also impact service members, Defense Department workers and their families, according to a review of the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport website.
Travelers are advised to watch for communications from their travel providers and monitor websites for up-to-date information.
Here’s a sector-by-sector look at announced strikes in Italy in September:
On Sept. 6, a 24-hour national walkout involving airport ground staff and airline flight crews will affect easyJet flights from Catania on the Italian island of Sicily, according to the ministry. Catania is near Naval Air Station Sigonella.
A 24-hour strike the same day by Swissport Italia workers at Milan Linate airport also will affect flights to Catania.
There will be a broader labor walkout from noon to 4 p.m. on Sept. 6 involving some airport workers at Rome’s Fiumicino and Ciampino airports, and Milan Malpensa Airport.
A 24-hour strike Sept. 14 is planned by handling staff at Milan’s Linate and Malpensa airports.
Travelers also could see their plans disrupted on Sept. 26 during another nationwide 24-hour walkout by various air workers, including baggage handlers and Volotea airline staff, according to the ministry.
A 21-hour nationwide rail strike involving onboard and engine staff is planned from 9 p.m. on Sept. 4 to 6 p.m. on Sept. 5.
Significant delays and cancellations are anticipated across major services, such as Trenitalia’s high-speed Frecciarossa trains and regional lines such as Trenord, according to the online news site idealista.it.
Rail travelers heading to the Calabria region in southern Italy should be aware of a walkout by Trenitalia Intercity and IC staff from about 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 15, according to idealista.it.
Other key events to be aware of include a walkout by bus companies in Rome from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., on Sept. 4, and a 24-hour local public transportation strike on Sept. 8 affecting several cities, including Catania and Palermo in Sicily.
