Holiday travel chaos as three European countries announce major airport strikes

Thousands of holidaymakers could face delays and cancellations as airport workers across three popular European countries prepare for industrial action. If you're flying through southern Europe this weekend, be prepared for possible delays or cancellations. Airport staff in Italy, Spain, and Portugal are set to strike, causing significant disruptions at some of the continent's busiest travel hubs right in the middle of peak summer travel season.

On Saturday, July 26, Italian airport workers will walk off the job for four hours, from 1pm to 5pm, as part of a nationwide strike calling for better safety measures, improved working conditions, and updated national contracts. The industrial action could affect major airlines such as Ryanair, EasyJet, Volotea, Wizz Air, and ITA Airways, among others.

Airports in cities including Rome, Milan, Venice, Florence, and Naples are expected to be impacted. At Milan Linate, Swissport ground services and check-in staff are also expected to go on strike.

Earlier in July, similar strikes in Italy led to the cancellation of more than 70 flights in a single day, and this weekend could see similar numbers.

Crews and pilots from Spanish budget airline, Volotea, also plan to strike on Saturday, potentially affecting flights to over 100 destinations across Europe.

In Portugal, workers at SPdH/Menzies Aviation, the company formerly known as Groundforce, will kick off a strike starting midnight on 26 July, running through July 29. This disruption will extend over several weekends in August as well, with Lisbon Airport likely to be one of the worst affected.

Darina Kovacheva, head of legal at airline compensation specialist SkyRefund, said: "As we saw earlier this month, the ongoing discontent among aviation workers in Italy is causing mayhem for holidaymakers visiting the country.

"We highly recommend that passengers travelling to Italy this weekend monitor the status of their flight before travelling to the airport, as strikes like these can cause last minute cancellations.

"Volotea passengers whose flights are either delayed or cancelled at short notice due to this industrial action may be entitled to compensation of £250-£520, based on the distance of their flight.

"Under EU Regulation 261/2004, when disruption to a passenger's journey is caused by an airline's own employees, such as the planned Volotea staff strike, passengers may be eligible for compensation. This is because instances like these are considered within the airline's responsibility.

"Volotea may seek prove that it took all reasonable measures to avoid the disruption to avoid paying out to customers. If you are affected by delays or cancellations this weekend, you should file a claim with a flight compensation specialist, who will fight your corner in cases like these."