The Italian Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) published its legally mandated list of “volis garantiti” (guaranteed flights) late on 28 September, covering the four-hour national air-traffic-control strike scheduled for Wednesday, 30 September (13:00–17:00). The document, updated at 21:30 and stamped "Ultimo aggiornamento 28/09/2026", identifies protected services—including one daily connection per airline to Madrid and Barcelona—while confirming that flights during the standard protection windows (07:00–10:00 and 18:00–21:00) must operate as planned. In parallel, Iberia issued a customer advisory—also updated on 28 September—allowing free date or routing changes for passengers holding tickets purchased before 25 September on any Iberia, Iberia Express or Air Nostrum flight between Spain and Italy for travel on 30 September. Rebookings can be made for travel until 1 October within a 300-km radius of the original route, or vouchers can be requested. Why this matters for Spanish corporates: Italy is Spain’s third-largest intra-EU business market. The strike coincides with quarter-end board meetings and trade-fair season in Milan and Bologna. Travel managers should audit itineraries now, prioritising morning departures that fall inside the protected slots, or shift travellers to rail via France. Cargo planners using belly-hold capacity should expect irregular load acceptance during the stoppage. The strike comes on top of Spain’s own temporary border checks on passengers arriving from Italy—extended until 7 October—creating a double layer of potential disruption. Companies with cross-Mediterranean projects should brief staff on longer dwell times at immigration and ensure Schengen ID documentation is in order. Duty-of-care policies should be updated to include overnight accommodation and remote-work contingencies in case flights are cancelled at short notice.
Source: ENAC / Iberia Travel Advisory
