Florence and Pisa Airports: 24-Hour Ground-Handling Strike & Passenger Guide

What Happened on the Ground

Industrial action involving ground-handling personnel, baggage sorters, and check-in staff at both Amerigo Vespucci Airport in Florence and Galileo Galilei Airport in Pisa has resulted in a 24-hour operational walkout. Essential airport services, aircraft marshalling, and luggage offloading are severely restricted, creating immediate flow-on delays across domestic and European connecting networks.

Airport authorities advise that while terminal access remains open, passenger processing is heavily bottlenecked. Automated baggage systems are operating with minimal staff supervision, leading to extended check-in queues and long waiting times at baggage carousels. Travellers heading to Tuscany should anticipate rolling schedule changes throughout the day as airlines dynamically reschedule rotations to mitigate crew-timeout regulations.

Operational Impact & Terminal Status

Terminal concourses at FLR and PSA are experiencing severe congestion, particularly around main airline service counters and departure gates. Baggage handling is severely impacted, with incoming flights facing extended turnaround times and outgoing services experiencing restricted luggage loading. Connecting passengers risk missing onward international sectors if their initial short-haul regional flights are delayed by ground-handling bottlenecks.

• Affected routes & transit hubs: Carriers operating short-haul and regional routes connecting Florence and Pisa to major European hubs (such as ITA Airways, Vueling, Lufthansa, British Airways, and various low-cost operators) are heavily impacted. Australian travellers connecting through major European hubs like London Heathrow, Rome Fiumicino, or Frankfurt onto these Tuscan routes face potential schedule alterations.
• Carrier waiver & rebooking policies: Operating airlines are required to issue proactive waivers allowing passengers scheduled to fly during the strike window to rebook onto alternative dates or alternative nearby airports (such as Bologna) without incurring change penalties, subject to seat availability. Airlines must also provide essential care provisions, including meal vouchers and overnight hotel accommodation if cancellations force an extended layover on the ground.

Airline Passenger Rights & Duty of Care

Under standard European passenger rights regulations and carrier Conditions of Carriage, passengers experiencing flight cancellations or severe delays exceeding two hours due to staff strikes are entitled to specific care and assistance. This includes free-of-charge refreshments, access to communication facilities, and hotel accommodation plus transport if an overnight stay becomes necessary. Before paying out of pocket for any unexpected expenses, travellers must demand written verification of the delay or cancellation directly from the airline ground team and retain all itemised receipts.

Practical Travel Advice & What to Do Right Now

1. Step 1: Check live carrier app status and airport departure boards before leaving your hotel or accommodation to avoid unnecessary transit to Florence or Pisa terminals.
2. Step 2: Visit the airline customer service desk immediately if you are at the airport to request written proof of disruption and secure official meal or hotel vouchers.
3. Step 3: Utilise carrier self-service portals or contact customer support helplines to explore free rebooking options or alternative routing through unaffected regional airports.
4. Step 4: Keep all itemised tax invoices, boarding passes, and receipts for any essential transport, food, or emergency accommodation purchased out of pocket.