On 16 October 2026, a fault in the data transmission network supporting Italy’s air traffic control systems was detected overnight between Thursday and Friday morning. ENAV, Italy’s national air navigation service provider, implemented flow management measures starting at 6:00 AM to temporarily reduce aircraft handling capacity in Italian airspace, aiming to maintain operational safety amid ongoing technical issues.
Flight Delays and Cancellations at Major Italian Airports
Flight operations were disrupted across several key Italian airports. Rome Fiumicino airport experienced at least four flight cancellations with affected routes including Milan Linate, Riyadh, Tirana, and Trieste. Delays of up to 60 minutes were reported at Fiumicino. Milan Linate and Milan
Malpensa airports, as well as Naples Capodichino airport, also reported delays and cancellations due to the network fault impacting air traffic management capacity.
ENAV Confirms No Cyberattack Involvement and Safety Measures
ENAV stated that prior to 6:00 AM on 16 October, normal management of air traffic without capacity reduction was maintained. After the faults persisted, the authority introduced flow management to reduce traffic volume temporarily. ENAV emphasized that the disruption resulted from faults identified within the data transmission network and explicitly ruled out any connection to hacker attacks or sabotage. The organization is working to restore full system operations while prioritizing flight safety.
Passenger Impact and Advisory
The data network fault caused
flight delays and cancellations affecting travelers in Italy’s busiest airports on 16 October. Delays of up to one hour at Rome Fiumicino and similar disruptions at Milan Linate, Milan Malpensa, and Naples Capodichino affected flights throughout the day. Airport operators have urged passengers to verify their flight status directly with airlines to stay informed amid ongoing operational disruptions.
