A fault in the data transmission network supporting Italy’s air traffic control systems disrupted flights across Europe on 16 October 2026. The fault was detected overnight before Friday, with flight operations continuing initially on backup systems. Due to increasing traffic, Italian authorities and Eurocontrol imposed airspace capacity reductions starting at 6:00 am, limiting the number of aircraft allowed in Italian airspace.
Disruption Across Italian and European Airspace
The fault affected flights to, from, and crossing Italian airspace, impacting major airports including Rome Fiumicino, Milan Linate, Milan Malpensa, Naples Capodichino, Bergamo Orio al Serio, and Trieste. Eurocontrol collaborated with Italian authorities to manage the reduced capacity. Similar
delays were also anticipated at Greek airports, affecting arrivals and departures there.
Flight Cancellations and Delays at Key Airports
At Rome Fiumicino Airport, four flights were cancelled on routes to Milan Linate, Riyadh, Tirana, and Trieste. Approximately 20 other flights experienced delays ranging from 15 to 60 minutes. Milan Malpensa departures faced delays between 30 minutes and over two hours, while arrivals were less affected. Milan Linate arrivals were delayed by up to one hour, with some departures experiencing longer waits.
Bergamo Orio al Serio airport saw Ryanair flights notably delayed: the route to Trapani departed 1 hour 30 minutes late, and the flight to Berlin was
delayed by 1 hour 20 minutes. A Volotea flight from Olbia originally scheduled to arrive at 7:45 am was rescheduled to 11:18 am. At Trieste Airport, a morning flight from Rome Fiumicino was cancelled, and a service from Trieste to Milan Linate was postponed by several hours.
Official Statements and Passenger Impact
Italy’s national air navigation service provider, Enav, stated that the capacity reduction measures were introduced “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.” Enav ruled out any links between the fault and sabotage
or cyberattacks. Passengers experienced widespread cancellations and delays at Italy’s main airports, with warnings that further disruptions could continue throughout the day.
