Wizz Air passengers have been left bracing for potential travel chaos as pilots and cabin crew in Italy prepare for a 24-hour strike later this month.
The industrial action, confirmed by the Italian Ministry of Transport, will run from midnight on November 29 until midnight on November 30.
Travel experts are warning that the disruption could extend beyond Italy, affecting flights across the airline’s entire network throughout the weekend.
The strike is expected to cause significant delays and cancellations, impacting thousands of travellers during the busy pre-Christmas period.
The strike will affect services across multiple major UK airports, including London Gatwick and London Luton.
Birmingham, Liverpool, Leeds, Glasgow and Aberdeen airports will also face potential disruption to their Wizz Air services.
While flights to and from Italy are expected to be most severely impacted, the effects could be more widespread.
Passengers planning to travel with Wizz Air during this period are advised to regularly monitor updates on both the airline’s website and their departure airport’s platforms.
Travel compensation expert Anton Radchenko, CEO of AirAdvisor, warned that staff shortages could trigger widespread disruption.
“There’s a strong possibility that staff shortages caused by the strikes will result in Wizz flights to Italy being delayed on Friday, November 29, and this disruption could spill over into Saturday and potentially even Sunday,” he explained.
The expert highlighted how one delayed flight can create a domino effect across the network.
“Planes need pilots and cabin crews to leave the ground, so when these staff strike airlines have to draw-in personnel from elsewhere in their network, which isn’t always straightforward,” Radchenko said.
Passengers facing delays of over two hours are entitled to food and drink vouchers from the airline.
For flights cancelled with less than two weeks’ notice, travellers may be eligible for compensation of up to £520, depending on journey distance.
Wizz Air is legally obligated to provide alternative travel arrangements to affected passengers’ destinations, including booking seats on other airlines.
Experts advise passengers to use compensation calculators to determine their potential claims and to file these as quickly as possible following any disruption.
