Data transmission network failure

A data transmission network failure used by air traffic control disrupted flights in Italy on Friday, October 16, 2026, as a 24-hour strike affected easyJet flight crew members.

Flight cancellations and delays

According to a preliminary provisional report from Cirium, 192 departures were canceled or not operated, representing 8% of the national schedule. Italian air traffic control reduced capacity starting at 6 a.m.

Cause of the disruption

Anomalies detected during the night on the data transmission network supporting air traffic control services led ENAV, the Italian air navigation service provider, to limit traffic starting at 6 a.m. Backup systems had previously allowed normal operations to continue.

Impact on operations

With the increase in the number of flights in the early morning, restrictions became necessary. ENAV announced a reduced traffic management capacity of about 50% in order to ensure the safety of operations, according to the ANSA agency.

Nature of the problem

Many aircraft remained on the ground, especially between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. However, this was not a general closure of Italian airspace. Contrary to initial descriptions suggesting a radar failure, the information provided by ENAV refers to the data transmission network.

Technical investigation

« Technical checks, still ongoing, have allowed the origin of the anomalies to be located in the data transmission network,» the organization stated, according to ANSA. It ruled out a malicious origin.

Improvement and partial recovery

By late morning, ENAV reported a progressive improvement, with the support of alternative systems, including a secondary satellite network. However, a full return to normal operations was not yet announced by midday.

Flight data breakdown

The first assessment from Cirium, provided to our editorial team, lists 2,398 departures scheduled for Friday from Italy, of which 192 were classified as « canceled or not operated, » representing 8.01%. Milan-Malpensa had 34 out of 298, Rome-Fiumicino 29 out of 505, and Milan-Linate 16 out of 141.

Punctuality issues

Punctuality was also degraded: only 31.33% of the observed departures took place with less than 15 minutes of delay. At Malpensa, this proportion dropped to 25%, and only 46.43% of the observed flights departed with less than one hour of delay.

Provisional nature of data

These figures constitute a provisional report and are not the final tally of the day. To these technical difficulties was added a mobilization of easyJet flight crew members in Italy.

Strike details

Initiated at midnight, it was to continue until 11:59 p.m. According to Sky TG24, the movement was organized by USB Lavoro Privato, which denounced a deterioration of working conditions and demanded more protections and salary adjustments.

Combined impact

Delays, schedule changes, and cancellations are possible. The two events must be distinguished: the failure affects the capacity of air traffic control on a national scale, while the social conflict concerns easyJet operations in Italy.

Traveler guidance

The confluence of the two events, however, complicated the day for Italian travelers. ENAC, the Italian civil aviation authority, reminds that departures scheduled between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m., and between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., must be ensured within the service obligations during strike periods.

Passenger instructions

It also publishes a list of essential connections. These guarantees concern the social movement: they do not exempt flights from technical restrictions on air traffic control. ENAC therefore advises passengers to directly check with their airline regarding the status of their flight before going to the airport.