Wave of strikes in air and rail transport to paralyze Italy on February 26-28

Italy's transport system is preparing for significant disruptions at the end of February 2026, when three days of strikes will paralyze air and rail traffic. The protests will occur immediately after the conclusion of the Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, which forced trade unions to observe a mandatory pause in protest activities. According to the calendar announced by the unions, Thursday, February 26, will be dedicated to a strike in the aviation sector, and Friday and Saturday, February 27-28, to protests in the railway sector. The air transport strike on February 26 was announced by the trade union confederation CUB Trasporti and is set to last a full 24 hours, from midnight to midnight. It concerns workers in the aviation industry, airports, and companies in the airport environment. Concurrently, during the same hours, staff of the national carrier ITA Airways will join the protest, as announced by the unions Filt-Cgil, Fit-Cisl, Uilt-Uil, Ugl T.A., Anpac, and Anp. The aviation strike was originally scheduled for February 16 but was postponed, likely precisely due to the Olympic Games. Strike culture in Italy has a long tradition, and the public transport sector is one of the most frequently affected by work stoppages. Italian law provides for the obligation to designate so-called guaranteed service windows, i.e., hours during which minimum service must be ensured to avoid completely paralyzing the country. These regulations aim to reconcile the right to strike with citizens' right to mobility. In the following days, the wave of protests will shift to the railways. The railway strike is planned for Friday, February 27, and Saturday, February 28. Although detailed information about the scope of this protest is still being finalized, it is known that it will involve workers of the Italian state railways and other operators. This means serious difficulties for millions of passengers, including commuters and those traveling between regions. Italian media are already warning of "complicated days" for the country's entire transport system. According to Italian law, organizers of strikes in public transport are obliged to designate so-called guaranteed service windows, i.e., hours during which service must be maintained. Details regarding these hours for the February strikes are to be provided by infrastructure managers and carriers in the coming days. It is presumed that for railways, these will be morning and afternoon hours to enable commuting to work and returns. In the case of aviation, airlines will have to publish lists of canceled flights and connections that will be operated despite the strike. Schedule of February transport strikes: Air transport: Normal operation → 24-hour strike (26.02); Rail transport: Normal operation → Two-day strike (27-28.02) The first signs of future problems will appear as early as Wednesday, February 25, in Bolzano, where local public transport workers have announced a 24-hour strike. This could be a sign of broader, nationwide problems. Trade unions argue that the strikes are a response to a lack of progress in wage negotiations and poor working conditions in a sector that has felt enormous strain during recent crises, including the pandemic one. Italian authorities are calling on the parties to engage in dialogue to avoid paralyzing the country in the period immediately following a major sporting event like the Games.