A network fault detected overnight between 15 and 16 October 2026 disrupted Italy’s air traffic control services, causing flight delays and cancellations on Friday. Enav, the national air navigation service provider, announced that flow management measures to reduce airspace capacity were introduced starting at 6:00 to ensure operational safety during the disruption.
Flight Delays and Cancellations at Major Italian Airports
The fault affected multiple airports, including Rome Fiumicino, Milan Linate, Milan Malpensa, and Naples Capodichino. At Rome Fiumicino, at least four flights scheduled to Milan Linate, Riyadh, Tirana, and Trieste were cancelled. Other flights experienced delays of up to 60 minutes across the affected airports.
Milan Linate, Milan
Malpensa, and Naples Capodichino airports also reported a combination of flight cancellations and delays due to the reduced capacity in Italian airspace.
Enav’s Response and System Restoration Measures
Enav identified faults in the data transmission network supporting air traffic control as the cause of the disruption. To restore normal operations, Enav switched to a secondary satellite network, gradually returning air traffic handling capacity to full levels.
The national provider continued investigations to determine the root causes but confirmed that there was no evidence of sabotage or hacker attacks linked to the faults.
Official Statements and Passenger Impact
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.” Before 6:00 on Friday, Enav maintained “normal management of air traffic, without any reduction in operating capacity.”
Passengers at the impacted airports faced flight delays and cancellations affecting several routes, with advisories issued to confirm flight status through their airlines.
