Wizz Air and ITA Upcoming Strikes in Italy: What to Do and How to Prepare
If you’re preparing to fly to (or through) Milan, Rome, Pisa, or Florence in the next week or so, brace yourself for potential flight delays and cancellations. Pilots and cabin crew for ITA Airways and Wizz Air have planned to strike on Saturday September 7th from 1pm to 5pm local time.
Additionally, baggage handlers at Milan Malpensa, Florence Amerigo Vespucci, and Pisa Galileo Galilei as well as air traffic control staff at Rome Fiumicino and Sardinia’s Olbia airports all plan to strike at the same time. Will this be a mess for air passengers? It could be, but here are some things to help you plan ahead.
If your flight was delayed, canceled or overbooked within the last 3 years, you could be eligible for up to €600 in compensation.Check Your Flight
Preemptive Steps
If you’re concerned that the strikes will upend your vacation or travel plans, you should reach out to Wizz and ITA. Because the labour disputes were planned, they may be more flexible with refund policies and/or rescheduled flights. You can also log in to your account with Wizz and ITA to see if the airlines have issued any plans for passengers.
If you’re planning to travel to or if you have connections at any of the Italian airports that are planning to strike, you could also face delays. Again, check with your airline to see if they are allowing passengers any leeway for changing their booking because of the disputes.
Besides that, it’s always a good idea to communicate with the airline in these situations so that you have a better understanding of what to expect.
What to Do If You’re Affected by the Strikes
If you find that your flight has been delayed or cancelled as a result of the strikes, here’s what you should do.
- Stay informed about the status of your flight. You should start paying close attention to this a few days before your scheduled departure. Ideally, you should download both airlines’ apps because you’ll get updates as the situation develops. You should get email and SMS updates from the airlines as well alerting you of any changes to your flight and what you should do next.
- Start documenting everything. Write down the date, time and details of any conversation you have with airline staff. Also, write down the time you finally get to your planned destination if your flight has been disrupted.
If you get messages or alerts on the app, take screenshots because if it comes down to a compensation claim, you’ll need to support your case with tangible evidence. - If your flight is cancelled, ITA and Wizz Air will reschedule you on a new flight, even if it’s with a different airline. If none of the flights meet your travel needs then you can ask for a full refund.
- If your flight is delayed for 2 hours or more, you should be given meal and refreshment coupons. If these aren’t offered, ask! And if you end up paying for your food on your own, keep all the receipts so you can get reimbursed later.
- You might be delayed until the next day. If your original flight is delayed or if your rescheduled flight doesn’t leave until the following day, remember that you’re entitled to hotel accommodation as well as transport there and back to the airport. But again, keep any and all receipts if you spend money on hotel bills, cab rides from the airport, or any other delay-related expense. You can submit these to the airline for reimbursement too.
Can You Get Airline Compensation?
Because the airlines and airports are striking at the same time, it makes compensation a little more complicated. If your flight is delayed or cancelled because of an airline strike alone, you should get compensated as long as your flight is with a European airline or departing from a European airport.
The other factor is the amount of time you’re delayed at your final stop. No matter what upset your flight, if you arrive 3 hours past the original arrival time you could get as much as 600 EUR depending on how far you’ve travelled.
Here’s where it gets complicated. When flights are disrupted because of an airport-related strike, airlines, like Wizz and ITA, will not have to compensate passengers because they have no way of avoiding or controlling the situation. But sometimes, even when they should pay you, carriers will use the airport strike excuse as a way to avoid liability. With a situation as potentially messy as the one scheduled for September 7, it might be a challenge trying to figure out who is responsible for what.
Bottom Line
No matter what airline you’re using, it’s worth looking into alternate travel arrangements if you have a refundable or flexible ticket. If you end up arriving at least 3 hours late at your final destination, check to see if your flight is eligible for compensation. We have a free compensation calculator that takes the guesswork out of the equation. It will tell you if your flight is eligible and how much money you could get if you submit a claim.
Figuring out how much you are owed for a disrupted flight can be complicated. We're here to help. Let us assess your compensation for you.Check Your Flight
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