**Holidaymakers Warned of Major Travel Disruption in Spain and Italy Amid Weekend Strikes**
British travellers hoping for smooth journeys to Spain and Italy this weekend are being urged to brace themselves for significant travel disruption, as a combination of strikes threatens to bring airports across southern Europe to a virtual standstill. With the summer holiday season in full swing, thousands of passengers are preparing to embark on long-awaited breaks, only to be met with the prospect of delays and a wave of cancellations.
Staff walkouts have been announced at Volotea, one of Spain’s leading budget airlines, as well as among baggage handlers and check-in teams at a host of Italian airports. These simultaneous industrial actions are tipped to have a ripple effect, impacting countless flights and passengers travelling from the UK and beyond.
Within Italy, the Assohandlers group—representing workers who provide essential services such as baggage handling at numerous airports—will be participating in coordinated strike actions. Some of the baggage handling firms involved count well-known airlines like Ryanair, Wizz Air, and Tui among their key clients. In addition to this, Swissport staff responsible for check-in and gate operations at Milan Linate are also expected to join the industrial action, causing further disruption at one of Italy’s core travel hubs.
Volotea, which boasts a network of over 100 European cities and 19 primary airport bases, has established itself as a significant player in the budget airline market. The airline recently marked a major achievement, having transported 75 million passengers by May 2025. Nevertheless, the looming walkout by its employees threatens to mar this momentum, with many travellers facing uncertainty over whether their flights will depart as planned.
Recent experiences have shown the potentially severe consequences of such actions. Earlier in July, similar strikes by Italian aviation workers led to the cancellation of 73 scheduled flights in a single day, with hubs such as Milan Malpensa, Naples, and Venice Marco Polo bearing the brunt of the disruption. UK travellers flying to and from major airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Manchester, were amongst those affected.
For passengers impacted by these circumstances, experts in airline compensation are highlighting potential avenues for recourse. Darina Kovacheva, Head of Legal at the flight compensation company SkyRefund, has advised Volotea customers to stay vigilant and explore their rights if their journeys are thrown into chaos. “Ongoing worker dissatisfaction continues to wreak havoc for those holidaying in Italy. We strongly advise all passengers travelling to or through the country this weekend to keep a close eye on their flight status, as industrial action often sparks last-minute cancellations,” Kovacheva stated.
Under EU Regulation 261/2004, travellers whose journeys are disrupted due to a strike by an airline’s own staff—in this case, the Volotea industrial action—could be due compensation of between £250 and £520, depending on the length of their flight. Regulations place a clear onus on airlines to manage and mitigate disruptions caused by their employees, making it possible for affected passengers to claim compensation in many instances.
However, claims processes are not always straightforward. Airlines may seek to demonstrate that they did everything in their power to avoid disruption, in an effort to minimise payouts. Passengers, therefore, are urged to document their experiences and consider enlisting the help of compensation specialists if they encounter delays or cancellations this weekend.
With air travel already prone to logistical pressures during peak summer months, the compounding factor of strike action stands to significantly impede journeys for thousands. Travellers with upcoming trips to Spain or Italy are being encouraged to check with their airlines frequently, stay informed via airport websites, and prepare alternative travel plans where possible.
As this weekend approaches, all eyes will be on how the situation unfolds. The industrial disputes underscore ongoing tensions within the aviation sector and serve as a reminder of the vulnerability of international travel to workforce unrest. Both airlines and airports are under pressure to resolve these issues swiftly, as the impact on tourism and holidaymakers is likely to be felt well beyond this weekend.