Airport and Airline Strikes Disrupt Flight Traffic in Greece and Italy
An airport and airline workers strike in Greece and Italy has disrupted flight traffic, with more strikes expected in the near future.
Greek airport strike
Today (9th April 2025), a 24-hour nationwide strike has disrupted public transport in Greece, including aviation.
According to the Greek newspaper Kathimerini, the strike was called by the two largest umbrella unions representing both public and private sector workers, demanding a salary increase and the full restoration of collective bargaining rights, which were scrapped after the financial crisis hit Greece a decade ago.
Among those who walked out during the nationwide strike in Greece were air traffic controllers at the country’s airports.
As a result of the air traffic controllers’ strike, both domestic traffic and international flights to and from Greece came to a halt, with hundreds of flights to airports such as Athens and Thessaloniki cancelled.
Greek airlines such as Aegean Airlines and SkyExpress were hit hardest by the strike, with passengers offered the option of a refund or rebooking at the earliest opportunity.
Despite being on strike, air traffic control remained in place to allow the safe operation of humanitarian, medical, and military flights in Greece.
Italian strike
In Italy, a more limited strike has also disrupted flight traffic at airports across the country.
The four-hour strike, which took place today from 10:30 to 14:30, was called by trade unions representing Italy-based easyJet personnel.
Multiple easyJet flights from airports such as Milan Malpensa and Naples were delayed or cancelled as a result.
Interestingly, Italian air transport law includes a stipulation that protects flight departures between the hours of 07:00 and 10:00, as well as 18:00 and 21:00, from strikes, which is why the easyJet strike took place in the late morning and early afternoon.
A four-hour national strike by Italian airport workers called by the trade union CUB Trasporti was originally planned for today as well, but this was called off last week.
Future strikes
According to the British newspaper The Independent, more cancellations and delays are expected this summer due to strikes and air traffic control staffing shortages, with the paper’s travel correspondent Simon Calder writing that the “summer 2025 air traffic control strike season is now under way”.
A representative of the Greek Air Traffic Controllers’ Association (EEEKE) told The Independent: “Unfortunately, air traffic control in Greece is in a bad situation as we have staffing shortages and equipment problems which cause a lot of delays in the last years and will cause a lot this year as well.”
Even though no strikes are planned in other European countries such as France, the situation isn’t looking great there either, as the French Air Traffic Controllers’ Union SNCTA warns of an “ongoing climate of conflict and mistrust”.
During previous French air traffic control strikes, not only did flight traffic in France come to a standstill, but many flights across Europe were severely delayed or cancelled due to being unable to cross French airspace.
Conclusion
Strikes by airline and airport workers in Italy and Greece have delayed or cancelled hundreds of flights today.
Travel experts and air traffic controller unions across multiple European countries warn that such strikes may be just the beginning of what could be a challenging summer for aviation in Europe, with understaffing and dissatisfaction with working conditions and pay potentially leading to more strikes or curtailed flight traffic.
