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Rome Airport Strike: Flights Grounded May 11
11 May
Summary
- An eight-hour strike by air traffic controllers impacted Rome's Fiumicino Airport on May 11.
- United Airlines offered flexible rebooking for flights to Italy due to the industrial action.
- A separate strike in Belgium on May 12 is expected to halve departing flights at Brussels Airport.
Major flight disruptions occurred at Rome's Fiumicino International Airport on May 11 due to an eight-hour strike by air traffic controllers. The industrial action, scheduled from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., was expected to lead to widespread delays and cancellations across Italy. ITA Airways reported canceling at least 38% of its flights on that day.
In response to the anticipated chaos, United Airlines proactively issued travel alerts, offering passengers flexible rebooking options for flights scheduled on May 10 and May 11. These flexible options allow changes without additional fees or fare differences for travel between May 8 and May 15, 2026.
Further travel disruptions are anticipated in Brussels, Belgium, where a nationwide protest involving security and ground handling staff is scheduled for May 12, 2026. This strike is expected to severely limit departing flights at Brussels International Airport, with projections indicating less than 50% of flights will operate. United Airlines is also providing flexible rebooking for flights to Brussels affected by this strike.
These European strikes follow a period of ongoing industrial action impacting air travel in Brussels, with this marking the ninth such strike since last year. United Airlines has maintained travel advisories for these European hubs, underscoring the persistent nature of these disruptions.
