On October 16, 2026, a fault in the data transmission network disrupted Italian air traffic control, causing widespread flight delays and cancellations across major airports in Italy.
Flow Management Measures Reduce Air Traffic Capacity
Enav, the Italian government agency responsible for air navigation services, stated that from 6:00 AM flow management measures were introduced, reducing the capacity to handle aircraft in Italian airspace by about 50% to maintain operational safety. The agency ruled out cyberattack or sabotage as the cause, saying, “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.” Air traffic management was operating at around half of its usual capacity during the disruption.
Affected Airports and Cancelled Flights
Rome Fiumicino Airport recorded at least four cancellations on flights to Milan Linate, Riyadh, Tirana, and Trieste, while other flights were delayed up to 60 minutes. Milan Linate, Milan Malpensa, and Naples Capodichino airports experienced similar delays and cancellations.
Fault Source Identified as Data Network Issue
Enav identified the faults as originating from the data transmission network that supports Italian air traffic control services. These faults were detected overnight between
Thursday and Friday. Efforts are ongoing to determine the exact causes and restore full system operation.
Traveler Impact and Safety Measures
Passengers at affected airports were advised to check flight status with their airlines before traveling. Italy’s air navigation services rely heavily on the data transmission network to support air traffic control; despite the disruption, Enav confirmed that safety was maintained throughout.
