Wave of Transport Strikes in Italy: Three Days of Disruptions for Trains and Planes

At the end of February 2026, Italy will face serious travel disruptions caused by a three-day wave of strikes in air and rail transport. The protests, announced by trade unions, are said to be a direct response to the suspension of action during the Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. The schedule is precise: Thursday, February 26 is dedicated to a strike in the aviation sector, and Friday, February 27 and Saturday, February 28 – to protests on the railways. Each action is to last a full 24 hours. The aviation strike on February 26 was announced by the main trade union federations: Filt-Cgil, Fit-Cisl, Uilt-Uil, Ugl T.A., Anpac, and Anp and concerns workers across the entire aviation sector, including staff of the national carrier ITA Airways. Although most actions are planned for a full 24 hours, individual carriers may strike for shorter intervals, such as the airline Vueling, whose protest was limited to the hours 1:00 PM–5:00 PM. Importantly, the same strike was originally planned for February 16 but was postponed, likely due to the Games.The culture of transport strikes has deep roots in Italy, dating back to post-war labor struggles. Since the 1970s, trade unions have regularly used strikes in the public sector as a negotiation tool. In response to social frustration, in 1990, Law No. 146 was introduced, which imposed on strike organizers in public services the obligation to comply with minimum service standards and provide prior notice. In the following days, the wave of protests will shift to the tracks. The railway strike scheduled for Friday, February 27 from 9:00 PM to Saturday, February 28 until 8:59 PM will be nationwide and will involve the train crew and onboard staff of the Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane group. This means a high risk of paralysis for national and regional connections, painfully felt by millions of commuters and intercity travelers. Italian media, such as Corriere della Sera, are already announcing "complicated days" for the entire system. 24 godziny — Duration of each strike According to Italian law, organizers of strikes in the public sector are obliged to designate so-called fasce di garanzia (guarantee windows), i.e., hours during which traffic must be serviced. Detailed information about these hours for the February strikes is to be provided by carriers and infrastructure managers just before the actions. For railways, it is expected that these windows will cover morning hours (e.g., 6:00-9:00) and afternoon hours (e.g., 18:00-21:00) to enable basic commuting. Similar rules will apply to airports, where service must be provided for flights within specified time intervals. The broad scope of social unrest in the industry is also confirmed by earlier local protests, e.g., in Bolzano, where public transport workers went on strike in mid-February, demanding improved working conditions.