Easter Holiday air travel strikes « Euro Weekly News
Easyjet cabin crew will be striking during the Easter holiday. Credit: Shutterstock, pcruciatti
Holidaymakers are being warned of serious disruption this Easter as aviation workers in Italy and Greece prepare to strike on Wednesday, April 9, according to several reports.
Italy: easyJet cabin crew strikes
As reported by GB News, cabin crew for easyJet in Italy will walk out for four hours between 10:30am and 2:30pm CET. The strike, organised by the Italian Federation of Transport Workers (FILT), the Italian General Confederation of Labour (CGIL), and the Italian Union of Transport (UIL), coincides with the Easter holidays and is expected to affect thousands of travellers.
In a statement shared with The Independent, an easyJet spokesperson said: “EasyJet has been formally advised of a four-hour air transport workers strike including some Italian-based cabin crew unions on Wednesday 9 April 2025, which is expected to impact some flights to and from Milan and Naples airports.” The airline added: “We would like to reassure customers that we are doing all possible to minimise any disruption… and should any flights be impacted, we will be contacting customers directly with their options.”
Passengers affected could be entitled to compensation
Cited by GB News, Anton Radchenko, an international lawyer and CEO of AirAdvisor, explained that under EU air passenger rights regulation, travellers may be eligible for compensation of £220 to £520 (€260 to €610) if their flight is delayed by more than three hours or cancelled due to industrial action by airline staff. Radchenko advised affected travellers to “collect written evidence of any delays or cancellations.”
Greek air traffic control strike
On the same day, Wednesday April 9, air traffic controllers in Greece will also go on a 24-hour strike, according to The Independent. This strike is being led by ADEDY, Greece’s public sector trade union, and is expected to disrupt most commercial flights.
A spokesperson for the Greek Air Traffic Controllers’ Association 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… and will cause a lot this year as well.”
During the strike, only medical, military, humanitarian and emergency flights will be allowed to operate, Greek news outlets report.
ADEDY has called for reinstatement of holiday bonuses, wage increases, and action on the housing crisis. This follows a nationwide general strike in February, during which nearly all flights in and out of Greece were grounded in protest over rail safety issues stemming from the 2023 Tempi train crash.
Travellers should check directly with their airline for updates and consider rebooking if necessary. Let us know if your flights have been affected, and how do you feel about strikes during peak travel periods?
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