On October 16, 2026, a fault in the data transmission network supporting Italy’s air traffic control system caused widespread flight delays and cancellations across multiple major Italian airports. Enav, the national air navigation service provider, detected the fault during the night of October 15-16. To maintain safety amidst growing traffic, Enav and Eurocontrol imposed flow management measures from 6:00 AM, temporarily reducing the capacity of Italian airspace.
Flight Delays and Cancellations at Key Italian Airports
The disruption affected airports including Rome Fiumicino, Milan Linate, Milan Malpensa, Naples Capodichino, Bergamo Orio al Serio, and Trieste. Rome Fiumicino recorded four canceled flights to Milan Linate, Riyadh, Tirana, and Trieste, along
with about 20 flights delayed between 15 and 60 minutes. Milan Malpensa departures experienced delays ranging from 30 minutes to over two hours. At Milan Linate, arrivals were delayed up to one hour, with some departures facing longer delays.
Bergamo Orio al Serio saw Ryanair flights to Trapani and Berlin delayed by 90 and 80 minutes, respectively. Volotea’s flight from Olbia, originally scheduled for 7:45 AM, was postponed to 11:18 AM. Trieste airport canceled a flight from Fiumicino and rescheduled a Trieste to Milan Linate flight by several hours. Airport operators cautioned that further delays or cancellations could occur later
in the day.
Cause and Response to the Data Network Fault
The disruption was traced to faults in the data transmission network critical to Italy’s air traffic control operations. Initially, flights continued using backup systems during the night, but these systems could not sustain normal traffic levels as daily operations intensified. Enav confirmed there was no evidence of sabotage or cyberattacks causing the fault. To ensure operational safety, flow management restrictions limited the number of aircraft handled in Italian airspace from 6:00 AM onward.
Passenger Impact and Official Statements
Passengers faced delays ranging from 15 minutes to over two hours on domestic and international flights crossing Italian airspace. Flights within Italy and those
en route across Europe were affected. Greek airports were also expected to experience similar delays due to knock-on effects. Travelers encountered cancellations and significant rescheduling, particularly at Rome Fiumicino and Bergamo airports.
Enav stated, “From 6:00, in view of the steady increase in air traffic and the persistence of the faults, in order to continue guaranteeing the highest level of operational safety, flow management measures have been introduced, which mean a temporary reduction in the capacity to handle aircraft in Italian airspace.” The agency is working on restoring full system operations. Eurocontrol coordinated capacity reductions for Italian airspace during the
disruption.
