Italian airspace disrupted by Enav data network failure

On October 16, 2026, major technical failures in the data transmission network managed by Tim caused significant disruptions across Italian airspace. Enav, the agency responsible for civil air traffic management, reported that operational capacity dropped to 50% for over ten hours, leading to widespread delays and numerous flight cancellations at major hubs including Rome-Fiumicino, Milan-Malpensa, Linate, and Naples-Capodichino.

The situation was further complicated by a 24-hour strike by EasyJet personnel. While services began returning to normalcy in the afternoon through the use of backup satellite systems, the impact was felt by thousands of passengers. At Rome-Fiumicino alone, approximately sixty flights were cancelled.

Technical investigations and the National Cybersecurity Agency have ruled out cyberattacks or sabotage, attributing the incident to infrastructure anomalies. Regarding passenger rights, while airlines must provide assistance and options for refunds or alternative travel, economic compensation may be limited if the disruption is classified as an exceptional circumstance caused by air traffic control infrastructure failure.