Lombardy’s main gateway endured one of its toughest operational days of the decade, with Sky TG24 reporting roughly 150 flights cancelled and dozens more delayed at Milan-Malpensa (MXP). Two separate 24-hour actions converged at the airport: the nationwide EasyJet crew strike and a walk-out by ENAV air-traffic control staff specific to Malpensa.
![Milan-Malpensa suffers 150 cancellations as ENAV and EasyJet strikes overlap]()
For travellers suddenly rerouted through other Schengen hubs or forced to switch departure points, VisaHQ can help streamline any unexpected visa or transit-document needs. Its dedicated Italy page (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) offers quick eligibility checks and online applications, ensuring stranded passengers or corporate mobility teams can adapt itineraries without worrying about paperwork delays.
While most long-haul departures were protected under Italy’s guaranteed-flight rules, the short-haul network to Europe’s business hubs was decimated. Swiss, Lufthansa and Air France-KLM re-routed passengers via Zurich and Frankfurt, and the airport authority SEA opened ad-hoc “quiet corners” equipped with extra power outlets and free snacks for stranded travellers. Freight forwarders also felt the pinch, with integrator DHL rerouting two nightly freighters to Leipzig. The double hit underscores Malpensa’s vulnerability: unlike Rome-Fiumicino, it lacks a high-speed rail fallback for passengers wanting to switch to surface transport. Corporate mobility teams with northern-Italy assignees should consider booking into Milan-Linate or even Verona when strikes are announced. ENAV controllers warn that today’s action was “symbolic” and that a full 48-hour stoppage is already authorised for 27–28 July if wage alignment with the pan-European ATC framework is not reached.
For travellers suddenly rerouted through other Schengen hubs or forced to switch departure points, VisaHQ can help streamline any unexpected visa or transit-document needs. Its dedicated Italy page (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) offers quick eligibility checks and online applications, ensuring stranded passengers or corporate mobility teams can adapt itineraries without worrying about paperwork delays.
While most long-haul departures were protected under Italy’s guaranteed-flight rules, the short-haul network to Europe’s business hubs was decimated. Swiss, Lufthansa and Air France-KLM re-routed passengers via Zurich and Frankfurt, and the airport authority SEA opened ad-hoc “quiet corners” equipped with extra power outlets and free snacks for stranded travellers. Freight forwarders also felt the pinch, with integrator DHL rerouting two nightly freighters to Leipzig. The double hit underscores Malpensa’s vulnerability: unlike Rome-Fiumicino, it lacks a high-speed rail fallback for passengers wanting to switch to surface transport. Corporate mobility teams with northern-Italy assignees should consider booking into Milan-Linate or even Verona when strikes are announced. ENAV controllers warn that today’s action was “symbolic” and that a full 48-hour stoppage is already authorised for 27–28 July if wage alignment with the pan-European ATC framework is not reached.
